Crash
by redcup90
Summary: "You said you wanted Elena. So I'm giving her to you."
1. Chapter 1

Bonnie sits on the ledge of the high rise building kicking her legs up and down watching her feet as they appear and disappear into the dark abyss below her. She closes her eyes and tilts her head back remembering everything that led up to this moment. Enjoying the cold breeze as it blows her hair back, breathing out opening her eyes to see her breath fade away into the dark sky.

"Bonnie!"

She huffs hearing Damon calling for her his voice muffled behind the glass sliding door as he bangs on it. She ignores him and looks back down inching herself closer to edge, hearing the panic in his voice rise each time she ignores his calls, banging on the door harder.

"What?" she drawls

"Let me out!" he cries

"For what?" she replies turning her head to the side so he can see the tear rolling down her cheek

He stops hitting the door "Bonnie I-"

"You made it perfectly clear that you want Elena" she pauses lifting her shoulders "so I'm going to let you have her." bringing them back down

"But I-"

"No. It's fine, you were just saying what everyone else was thinking." turning her head away "Just tell her that I love her, okay?" looking back down

"Damon's eyebrows knit together, before putting it together. He starts to pull at the door handle again with all of his strength, groaning in frustration when it doesn't even budge. He looks back at her watching as she stands up extending her arms. He shakes his head and looks around spotting an open window he rolls his eyes at his stupidity and speeds over to it jumping out running towards her to grab her but missing her by an inch screaming as she falls into the dark.

Caroline bursts through the front door running to the sliding door opening it to see Damon leaning over the edge before turning to face her

"What the hell did you do?" her voice sharp "What. The. Hell. Did. You. Do?!" she screams

He shakes his head opening his mouth but no words coming out

"No." she breathes shaking her head her eyes watering

Stefan walks through the door heading straight outside to see Damon and Caroline staring at each other but no sight of Bonnie he opens his mouth ready to ask what was going on stopping when he sees Caroline's hands shaking as she raises them to cover her mouth clenching her eyes shut as tears start to stream down her face.


	2. Chapter 2

_August 10, 2013_

 _Dear Elena,_

 _I honestly don't know how you do this. Sitting down and writing it just isn't what I expected. It's not therapeutic or relaxing it's frustrating and kind of annoying. I don't know maybe it's because I'm not the only one who will read it. Maybe I'm just trying to hard. I guess I should fill you in huh? Caroline and Stefan are pretty much dancing around each other, whatever the term for Caroline avoiding him at all costs and Stefan chasing after her like a lost puppy is. It's actually kind of cute...but sad. I give it two months before they...you know._

 _Matt. Matt is...he misses you. That's the one thing that we've bonded over. We don't like to bring it up around the others, mainly because we don't want them to feel bad. We both just want you to wake up, that this whole thing is just a sick joke Kai decided to do out of spite. That you'll walk through one of our doors any second, instead of us never being able to see you again._

 _Ric. Oh my God Ric. My heart aches for him. After the wedding he tried to...leave us. But of course we didn't let that happen. So he went and locked himself in the house he bought for Jo, and the kids. No one has been invited in so the guys can't get to him. I'm afraid to go anywhere near him. All of this being my fault and all. Jeremy has been the only one to get through to him. So the deal is that no one goes to him except to drop off alcohol or groceries. But Care goes by to make sure he's still...okay._

 _Speaking of Jeremy, he's fine. He comes by to check in every now and then but mostly stays away. He met a girl. How do I know? I went out to visit him and she answered the door in his sweatshirt and nothing else._

 _Ty is good, he does the same thing as Jeremy. He insists that he enjoys being a werewolf again. Him and Care don't talk much, I think she's part of the reason he took off. Well that and just wanting to get away from here. I don't blame him, I'd leave too if I had his memories of this place._

 _I know you want to hear about Damon and I wish I could tell you about him but I have no idea where he is. I'm tempted to find out but part of me doesn't want to. You know? But don't worry I'll bring him back here eventually. I just want to give him time to grieve, then I'll drag him back. But fun fact; he has Stefan keeping tabs on me to make sure I'm okay. I'm sure it's just so he knows when to come back...so he can see you again._

 _I'll write again. As soon as there is something to write about. I don't want you to sit down and read this and be bored out of your mind wondering why you had me do this in the first place._

 _Love, Bon._

* * *

Bonnie covers her face and takes deep breaths trying to calm herself down, fighting back her tears. Hearing a key being inserted in the lock, she whips her head up and scrambles out of the bed jumping over to hers sitting down pushing herself until her back until she feels her back against the headboard pulling her knees towards her chest placing the book against her legs hovering her pen over the page looking up smiling at Caroline as she closes the door behind her.

"Okay." she says dropping her bag to the floor, looking up to her a bright smile on her face

Bonnie raises an eyebrow studying her

"I found an apartment." she says clasping her hands together

Bonnie looks at her opening her mouth ready to protest

"It's not that far away, it's basically down the street from here."

"Care-."

"I already paid for the next three months rent." she continues "So get your butt up and start packing."

"Care-"

"I'm not taking a no for an answer."

Bonnie starts to open her mouth but closes it

"It's not good for us to be here. Waking up and not seeing her there" she pauses "it's not good for either of us. Now get up."

Bonnie glances over to Elena's bed and bites the inside of her cheek

"One stuffed animal." Caroline says

Bonnie closes her eyes

"And her blanket." she adds sounding like a parent giving in to their child "But I get the shoes she never let me borrow." trying to lighten the mood smiling when Bonnie looks at her a forced smile on her face

"What about the rest of her stuff?"

Caroline looks away "Stefan agreed to keep it in one of the spare rooms."

Bonnie smiles "So you guys talked?"

"Texted."

Bonnie rolls her eyes

"Now move it." she orders watching as Bonnie gets up walking to the closet to get her bags


	3. Chapter 3

Bonnie walks into the apartment a smile on her face as she looks around

Caroline looks at her "I know right?" she beams taking in her reaction

"I even made sure your room had one of those window seat things that you always wanted."

"I would love to see what it looks like." Stefan says from the doorway

Caroline looks at the door "That reminds me." she says pulling a paper out of her bag "I compelled the manager to let me sign this later." handing the paper to Bonnie "So if you could just sign it. That would be great."

Bonnie looks at her "Then how are you…"

"Technically no one owns the place yet."

Bonnie nods her head and takes the pen walking over to the counter waiting until Caroline walks out to sign it. "Okay." she says walking to the door motioning for them to come in watching as Stefan leans forward his hand hitting the barrier she smiles and looks to Caroline "Come in."

Caroline smiles and walks through covering her mouth just when she starts to invite Stefan

"Not yet. Bonnie still has some of her things in her car." taking her keys out of her hand, tossing them at him

Bonnie looks at her "When I said you had to talk to him I didn't mean boss him around."

"Though you never said I couldn't."

"I think he's going through enough. Damon isn't here and Elena is" she bites the inside of her cheek "he doesn't have anyone but you right now."

"Bonnie how many times do I have to tell you-"

"Until I feel like you really mean it. Damon and Tyler took off. Jeremy can't even look at me. Stefan puts up with me because of you. And Alaric…" she trails off shaking her head

Caroline opens her mouth

"That's not true."

They both look at the door

"Damon left because that's how he copes with things. Alaric doesn't blame you for anything. I'm not just putting up with you. And as for Jeremy and Tyler, who cares?" a frown on his face shrugging "If Damon wanted Elena, he wouldn't have saved you. And it's not because Elena would've been mad at him. When he got back without you, he was running around like a crazy person, trying to get you back. At first we all thought it was because of Elena but when you sent the bear he wouldn't let anyone touch it." his eyebrows knitting together "Elena was on the back burner." he looks down "Well almost."

"How do you know that he-"

"Because he slipped up and told me when he was drunk off of his ass." with a half smile

"Do you know where he is?"

Stefan looks at her "You haven't done a locator spell?"

She shakes her head

Caroline raises her eyebrows

"He won't tell me. Well more like I never ask. If I want to know I'll just read the papers."

"Do you know how sad that is?" she asks sitting down cross legged on the floor "That we know that's what he's doing right now?"

Caroline looks down at her "Yes." she answers simply "But it's better than him snapping and" she stops herself

"Is it?" she whispers

"Yes." she responds immediately frowning "And why are you sitting on the floor when we have a couch and chairs? I didn't spend hours decorating and rearranging five thousand times for you to sit on the floor."

Bonnie looks at Stefan "Come in." glancing at Caroline who rolls her eyes

Stefan walks in and holds out his hand waiting until she takes it and pulls her up, walking behind her pushing her to the hallway

"Stefan."

"Shh." turning her towards the door, guiding her hand to the doorknob

She looks back at him before turning the knob walking through the threshold "Wow." she breathes looking around then back to the door greeted by Caroline and Stefan with big smiles on their faces. She frowns looking back and forth from them, narrowing her eyes.

* * *

 _August 20, 2013_

 _Dear, Elena_

 _You remember how I told you I give it two months before Stefan and Caroline gave in? Well I was wrong. While I thought we were both in school turns out she was actually at the boarding house. She felt bad about not telling me so to make it for it or whatever she went and got us a nice appartment. Giving me the better room. (I'm rolling my eyes.) Not going to lie, I wasn't really going either. After the wedding I just couldn't take it anymore. The cafeteria, classes, courtyard, everything held a memory of us and it was just too much. Going off topic. We moved out of our dorm room, waking up and not seeing you there was depressing so we left, it's still there for us to go and visit since Care compelled the D.A and housing to not let anyone have it or go inside. Caroline let me keep a stuffed animal and your blanket, sorry if that sounds weird but I didn't want to leave without at least one thing to...keep you with me._

 _When I got here in true Caroline fashion, she already had everything set up including my room. She even hid something in here and when I found it I just...lost it. Of course she didn't mean to make me upset but when I saw it, I couldn't help myself. We were literally sitting on my bed for hours, with me just crying. And the real sad part is, I actually put it on the stuffed animal and sleep with it every night. Creepy right? It's your old daylight ring if you didn't guess._

 _But anyway, still no word from Damon. But I did call him and tell him that he has three months to do whatever he wants and then I'm dragging him back here. Don't worry I'll only use my magic if it's absolutely necessary._

 _Love, Bon_


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright, get up." Bonnie says walking into Stefan's room

Caroline whips her head to the door before scrambling off of Stefan pulling the sheets to cover herself "Bonnie!" she shrieks

She rolls her eyes and waves her off, looking to Stefan who turns red and turns his back to her

She laughs "If you clench any harder you might-"

"Bonnie!" Caroline yells

"What?"

"Knocking. Have you ever heard of it?"

"Yes. But it's not as effective as walking through the door, especially with you two. Besides it's not like I haven't caught you doing worse."

Caroline's eyes widen looking down at Stefan to see his eyebrows knitted together before folding his lips. She smacks him with her pillow when he starts to laugh, Bonnie doing the same "Get out." she says trying to fight back a smile

"Matt's waiting for you downstairs."

She looks at her confused before realization washing over her face "Oh my God. I completely forgot." pushing her hair back

"Obviously." Bonnie replies from the doorway "Stefan. Up." looking back at him "I didn't mean that." she mutters

Caroline grins "Out."

She raises her arms backing out of the room turning around "Five minutes." she says over her shoulder

"The door."

"Nothing anyone here hasn't seen before." she replies going down the stairs

"Miami huh?" Matt says looking over at her as she sits next to him

"If you think about it, it's not a bad choice." watching as he frowns "High crime rates. Hot girls. Nice weather. Nude beaches."

He throws his head back "Can we trade?"

Bonnie smiles "You said you didn't want to have anything to do with Damon coming back here, remember?"

"That was before you told me he was in Miami."

"If Caroline is willing to-"

"Caroline is not willing to." she says walking past them into the kitchen

Bonnie smiles "Besides. I don't want you to get hurt. I don't think the ring works anymore and I'm not willing to try it."

"So you'd rather I be the victim?" Stefan asks walking over to the door opening it

"You're his brother." she says standing up "Despite what he wants you to believe he would never actually kill you." slinging her bag over her shoulder

"You give him to much credit."

She smiles at him "You don't give him enough." turning back around "Don't let her go nuts. I set a limit, when she hits it, she'll have to pay on her own."

Matt stands up "Is that why you're leaving before she can say goodbye?"

"Pretty much. I'll see you when I get back." turning on her heel walking to the car, opening it sitting down closing it after her. She looks back up when she sees the car door swing open.

"Get out." Stefan says tilting his head to his left

She sighs and gets out after seeing he won't give in

He closes the door then opens it again waiting until she sits down to close it, walking over to the driver seat, sitting down putting the keys into the ignition. "Something wrong?" he asks backing out of the driveway, stopping the car to correct the wheel before driving down the street.

"Was that necessary?" she asks taking her phone out as he hits the brakes at the stop sign

"I take it you're not use to guys doing what they're supposed to."

"There was one time with Jeremy, on our first date. And Damon did it when we were trapped in the prison world. But that's about it...well besides you now I guess."

"Damon?" he questions sounding shocked

Bonnie puts her phone away "So you're the only Salvatore that does this?"

"That's what I thought. He must really-"

"I'm going to need you to stop right there." she says cutting him off

He smiles "Sorry, it's just the thought of Damon being appropriate is just...wow." turning his left blinker on "I just thought he did it for Elena in front of me to piss me off but I guess not."

"Does it bother you?"

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't at first, but now...not at all."

Bonnie looks at him eyebrows raised

"Nothing leaves this car?" he asks looking at her

She nods

"I think if she left me for my brother that she swore up and down she despised" he pauses "she isn't worth it."

Bonnie cracks a smile "And you're supposed to be the nice one."

He laughs

"I actually have a moral compass."

"Ouch."

He shrugs "Don't get me wrong, I still love her, it's just not the way I used to."

"So if she got over Damon and wanted you back, you wouldn't…"

He takes a breath "Like I said, I love her but I don't love her the way I used to."

"But you slept with Katherine." she states

"What does Katherine" he stops himself "Because Katherine actually did seem to care about me. I never told anyone about this, but when my father shot me, I kept drifting in and out of consciousness. When my eyes closed, I could still hear."

Bonnie looks at him watching as he sits up

"I heard Katherine say something. I'm not going to say what it was. Not because I don't trust you or anything. But anyway, I thought I'd just imagined it, but after finding out she never was in the tomb" he shrugs "I guess it was real. Katherine may have been a…" he trails off

' _Conniving manipulative slut?'_ Bonnie suggests in her mind

"but when it came down to it, she would've...well did choose me." his lips going into a straight line

"Then why didn't you let Damon have Elena?"

"Because I thought she was what I wanted. Back then she wasn't...what she is now."

Bonnie looks away trying to comprehend everything that he had just admitted to her

Stefan drives around until he finds a parking lot, letting the window down compelling the parking lot attendant to block the fifth level before driving to the roof of the lot parking in the dead center. He looks over to Bonnie "Don't get out." turning the car off, removing the keys from the ignition before getting out of the car.

Bonnie huffs and waits until he opens her door waiting until she has everything before closing it after her.

"Nothing leaves that car." he says as he pushes the button to the elevator

"Witch's honour." holding up her hand "You're only telling me this because I can never tell Elena right?"

He looks at her "We have really done a number on your self esteem, haven't we?" as they walk in "I know about the whole diary thing." pushing the button to the first level "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have told you."

Bonnie blinks

"No Caroline does not know either."

"If by we you mean everyone except you and Care, yes you all have done a number on it." Bonnie says as she loops her arm between his as they walk inside of the airport separating when they get to security removing everything from their pockets before walking through the metal detectors.

Bonnie looks over at him "You look nervous. Are you afraid of heights or something?"

"Planes." he admits "They're big metal death traps."

Bonnie opens her mouth

"And before you say cars are more dangerous." he continues "Flipping over a couple times is better than falling from the sky."

Bonnie stops walking

Stefan stops and turns to face her

"Why would you say that before we're about to go on a plane?"

"You wanted to know."

After five minutes of trying to get Bonnie on the plane, Stefan stops and sighs. Taking advantage of Bonnie looking away he looks around to make sure nobody's looking and takes her arm and presses on her pressure point. Catching her before she falls and carries her towards the gate.

"She fell asleep." he explains tilting his head back to the waiting area and walks past her before she can say anything else.

Bonnie's eyes flutter open, after blinking a few times her eyes widen seeing a screen in front of her showing some animated movie. She turns her head to the right and jumps when she sees Stefan sitting beside her turning a page in the magazine in his hands.

"Nice sleep?" he teases not looking at her

She sits up, the blanket covering her falling to her lap "What did you do?" her voice cracking

He looks up at her "Sorry." he says glancing at her "It was either this or throwing you over my shoulder, you retaliating in giving me an aneurysm...maybe worse."

She turns away from him

"Are you mad?"

"Of course I'm mad." she snaps

"You didn't miss anything. We'll be landing in a couple of minutes."

"I thought you were afraid of planes."

"I am, but you made the ride enjoyable. Eased my nerves. You can't do magic for the next three hours. So before we get to Damon you can throw me around until you feel better." closing the magazine "Like a warm up."

She frowns "What did you do to me?"

"Pressure points. You were getting all frantic. Causing a scene."

"So you knocked me out?"

"You can do the same to me." he prompts

"Okay. Damon." turning away from him

Stefan smiles "I've been called worse."


	5. Chapter 5

"So where are we going first?" Stefan asks as they walk out of the airport

"Well, since someone knocked me out before I could eat on the plane..."

"Trust me you wouldn't have wanted it."

"Trust you?"

"You don't?"

"You knocked me out."

"You say it like you never-"

"You're humanity was off."

"Fair enough." nodding his head "You ever had Pink's?"

"I don't like hot dogs."

"I know. I meant Pink Taco."

Bonnie closes her eyes trying not to smile

"Get your head out of the gutter. It's a restaurant."

She folds her lips and nods turning her head to the car stopping beside them "A convertible?"

"Surprised?" he asks watching as the valet gets out walking around the car opening the door for Bonnie

"Yeah, I expected a muscle car." she says when they're both seated

"In Miami?" he asks driving out onto the street

She smiles feeling the wind blow her hair back "This is your car?" seeing an empty blood bag in the glove department

He looks at her "Only when I'm here." taking it tossing it out of the car

"So you and Damon…" she trails off

"We ran into each other once. Turns out we had the same place to go to when we decided to make bad decisions."

She looks at him

"Like you said to Matt, high crime rates."

"I don't understand how you guys aren't on the FBI's most wanted by now."

He laughs

"Your house isn't a mess, right?"

"Housekeeper, well paid housekeeper. Whenever it's that kind of mess she...forgets."

"What exactly do you do anyway?"

"Assassin." he answers nonchalantly turning into the parking lot "You don't seem surprised."

"Should I be?" she asks opening the door

"Bonnie."

"I can open my own door." she replies

Stefan nods getting out of the car speeding to the door of the restaurant opening it smiling as she rolls her eyes

"Stefan?" a girl with blonde hair questions walking from behind the stand "Oh my God." tossing the menus aside wrapping her arms around him

Stefan looks over to Bonnie who's watching clearly amused before narrowing her eyes

"Where have you been?" she asks pulling back to look at him

"I've been" he pauses "around."

"Clearly." Bonnie scoffs

The girl turns to look at her her mouth forming an o before turning back to Stefan backing away from him "I'm sorry" she says turning back to Bonnie "I didn't know you-"

Bonnie smiles "We're not." she says cutting her off "God no."

The girl blinks "Oh. Are you…" she trails off

Bonnie looks at Stefan when he starts to laugh "No, I'm not."

The girl smiles looking down "Sorry." she apologizes looking back up "It's just" she stops glancing back at him

Bonnie fights back a laugh "Wow." she breathes "So how do you two know each other?"

"We met in college."

"College." Bonnie repeats looking at Stefan who looks away "Is there anyway you can take your break?" watching as Stefan looks back at her "Like now?" looking back to her

She turns to face the clock "Um sure." she shrugs "I'll be right back." turning to walk away from them

Stefan watches until she goes to the back room

"College?"

He looks away

"What year?"

"Bonnie-"

"How about we extend the car thing to the whole trip?"

He takes a breath "Class of nineteen seventy-seven." he answers

Bonnie frowns "She doesn't look" she stops herself "did you turn her?"

"Actually...she's a witch."

Bonnie steps back "A witch?" shaking her head "Then why does she-"

"I'm slowing the aging down." she answers walking past them to the dining area motioning for them to follow her

Bonnie looks at him "Oh my God." she says, realization washing over her "You have someone looking after your brother for you."

"No I don't." he says as he turns away from her

"You love him."

"Stop." he says walking away

"Aww." following after him

"Bonnie." he warns

"You sure you're not together?" she asks as they sit across from her a smile on her face

"One hundred percent positive." Bonnie answers

"Okay, if you say so." leaning back "My name is Bella by the way." extending her hand

"Bonnie." meeting her hand

"Bennett. I know."

"Excuse me?"

"Any witch knows a Bennett when they see one." she states "Still hasn't tapped into her power yet." looking at Stefan who shakes his head

"We're getting there."

Bonnie looks at him offended by his comment "Excuse you."

"Honey."

Bonnie whips her head to Bella a scowl on her face, feeling it soften as she starts to talk, all traces of the youth she had just seen slowly fading away

"Stefan hit the strongest pressure point on your body and I can still feel it."

"He said I can't." she frowns "Wait, how do you even-"

"I don't think you'd block yourself and just because you can't doesn't mean it's not still there."

"You sound like my Grams."

"Sheila." smiling as Bonnie narrows her eyes "I met her at a protest." she explains

"Bella is a bit of a Bennett groupie." Stefan says smiling before cringing

Bonnie smiles

"Your turn." she says returning her smile

Stefan looks at her "Bonnie no." groaning

"You said I could use you as a warm up remember?"

"I said throw me around. Not fry my brain."

"I assume Stefan's been updating you on Damon's whereabouts." her voice turning serious

Bonnie leans back and turns to Stefan who looks away

"I'll take that as a no." Bella starts "Okay well Damon has been around." she says rolling her eyes "His first stop was the backwoods of Mystic Falls, doing what we all expected. After he got that out of his system he went to Vegas, bouncing from hotel to hotel. He didn't kill anyone, he just used girls as blood bags." wrinkling her nose "He turned about three of them. Those poor things." shaking her head

Bonnie looks at her "Are they still alive?"

"As soon as it happened I had a friend go and explain what was happening to them." she starts "They had the usual reaction. Didn't believe it until my friend showed them a blood bag. One girl said she didn't want it. And we didn't force it on her. I never make anyone do what they don't want to. Well beside my kids but that's beside the point. The other two, they went through with it. So after they learned to control the bloodlust and stick to blood bags, they came here and I made them daylight rings."

"You trust them?"

Bella laughs "I stopped trusting people a long time ago."

"And how long ago would that be?"

"I'm fifty seven." she answers with a smile

Bonnie blinks "Fifty seven?" she whispers

"With two daughters." Stefan adds "Twenty and twenty two."

"You don't even look like you broke thirty."

"I'll teach you the spell when you actually break thirty." smiling at her

Bonnie looks down, guilt coming over her. Under different circumstances she would've smiled and accepted but she didn't want to overstay her welcome. Accepting everyone's estimate of sixty or seventy years until her life ended.

"Am I missing something?" she asks watching Bonnie's face fall and Stefan's smile disappear

"My life is tied to Elena's." she answers

"Elena?" she questions "The doppelganger?" looking at them waiting for confirmation

Stefan nods

She looks at Bonnie "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. You didn't know." she shrugs

Bella looks at Stefan who looks down

"We're going off topic." Bonnie says breaking the silence wanting to get the focus off of her

"Right." she says "I'll spare the details of everything else. But now he's here. At the nude beach to be exact." laughing along with Bonnie

Stefan closes his eyes, opening them when he hears Bonnie laughing he looks back to Bella and thanks her smiling as she nods in response.

"Well" Bonnie opens her mouth "that solves one problem." turning to Stefan as her stomach growls

"Ben!" Bella yells waving for him to come to her

"Yes?"

Bella looks at Bonnie

"Do you have flautas?" she asks

"Is that all?" he asks looking at everyone

"Nachos." Bella states

He nods

"That's all." Bella says dismissively turning back to them "It's on the house." she says as she stands up "I'll have them bring you guys some water and then it's off to the beach." walking away

"She owns the place." Stefan explains

Bonnie turns to Stefan "She's like a-"

"Mixture of Sheila and Lexi?"

"With a dash of Caroline."

Stefan smiles

"Did you two ever..."

"Yes, but it was a long time ago."

"You're literally the only guy I know that's actually is friends with their exes."

Stefan laughs half tempted to point out Rebekah but decides against it.

"Here you go." Ben says setting a plate of flautas in front of Bonnie and a plate of nachos in front of Stefan "Do you guys want anything to-"

A girl sets down two glasses of water on the table and walks away

He smiles "Nevermind."

"Bye Ben." Stefan says

"Go to hell." he replies walking away

Bonnie bursts into laughter "I see Ben isn't an ex." picking up a flauta

"Funny."


	6. Chapter 6

"Here."

"Is this really necessary?" Bonnie asks taking the bikini from Stefan

"We're going to the beach."

"This will barely cover me."

"We're going to the beach." he repeats smiling

"I want a one piece." she states giving it back to him

He takes it and throws it over his shoulder "One piece it is." moving his hand from behind his back revealing a black v-neck one piece, mesh going straight down the middle stopping just before the crotch

Bonnie looks at it shaking her head

"You said one piece."

She opens her mouth

"It only shows your...midsection?"

She frowns as he extends it to her

"Fine." she huffs taking it walking to the bathroom "Is there any reason you have bikini's?"

"Bad choices." he answers "I'll be in the car."

After changing Bonnie looks at herself in the mirror a smile on her face before shaking her head. Turning to the door she slowly pulls it open poking her head out of the doorway looking around the room making sure Stefan wasn't there before walking out. Spotting her purse she goes to pick it up seeing a thin wrap folded underneath it. She holds it up inspecting it before shrugging it on, slipping on her sandals and perching her sunglasses on the top of her head before walking outside.

Bonnie rolls her eyes when she hears Stefan whistle at her, glaring at him as she sits down, looking straight forward as he closes the door

"Cold shoulder just makes you-"

"I hate you."

"Getting hotter."

She smacks him

"Easy." he says through a laugh "Unless you want to...flip over a couple of times." he adds quietly

Bonnie smiles "Cute."

He looks at her then looks away

"What?"

"You're nervous."

She opens her mouth

"I can hear your heartbeat." he lilts

"So?"

"You love him." he teases

"Stefan." she warns

"It's okay. He loves you too."

"Stefan."

"Choosing you over Elena isn't the only bomb he dropped" he stops feeling the car come to a complete stop. He presses down on the gas frowning when the car doesn't move, earning an endless stream of horns from behind them. He takes a breath before pushing the button turning his hazard lights on looking over to Bonnie. "Can you at least let me pull over?" he asks not shocked when the steering wheel turns, the car moving over to the curb.

She cracks a smile when a few locals fly past them, giving Stefan the finger, one man almost crashing when Stefan's eyes go black.

"Bonnie. I know you don't believe me or anyone else about Damon" he pauses "but I'm not lying." he finishes "Just how you want me to believe that Damon wouldn't kill me, I want you to believe that Damon doesn't hate you. Just like everyone else, the only person he does hate is Kai. But to be honest" he stops waiting until Bonnie looks at him "I think Kai left out the other alternative of what will wake Elena."

Bonnie blinks

"I talked to Bella about it and she thinks I'm right."

"Stefan." she says not sure she wants to hear his theory

"We think Elena might wake up when Damon admits he has feelings for someone other than Elena." he rolls his eyes when she tilts her head "You, Bonnie. You." he says irritation lining his voice

She looks away, wondering how much trouble she would be in with Caroline if she came back from the trip without him.

"She might even wake up when you admit it."

She looks down staring at her hands "Kai-"

"hates us. He's twisted and cunning and sick and evil. He's anything but dumb and oblivious. Not saying that you are but Damon definitely is. Which is exactly why Kai would do it."

"When did you put this together?"

"After finding out that he chose you over the love of his life. The one he was going to take the cure with."

"I'm not going to deny that your theory might be true" she starts "but me and Damon" she frowns "we can't happen. Elena-"

"is not here."

"is my best friend." she corrects finally meeting his eyes "I could never do that to her. If you're right about this. It means Kai would have both of us alive at the same time. Meaning Damon and I would be together...or something. And Elena would never forgive me. And I can't have that."

Stefan shakes his head and turns to her "Didn't she tell you to be happy?"

"Yes, but I'm sure she didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing." she finishes, the car starting again

Stefan stares at her, turning away from him resting her head against the headrest staring forward. He starts to listen to her heartbeat surprised when it's back to normal.

…

Bonnie waits until Stefan gets out and walks around opening her door. She gives him her bag, smiling as he takes it.

"Your idea of payback?"

"No. Payback would be leaving you alone to bring your brother back."

Stefan nods "Yeah. Bella wouldn't be as effective."

"They have history?"

"Not that kind of history, but yes."

Bonnie looks at him "Who did you have a kid with?"

Stefan looks at her

"Tom." she states "You had to have a kid for another doppelganger to pop up."

Stefan nods "Her name was Bethany."

"Bethany?" she questions "Why does that sound familiar?"

He shrugs turning forward stopping

Bonnie whips her head around searching for what his eyes were locked on "You ready?" she whispers

"I'll get the girl." he says "We'll finish this later, okay?" waiting for her to nod before speeding away

Bonnie takes a breath adjusting her bathing suit before walking to Damon

* * *

Damon opens his eyes when he feels something block the sun

"Bon Bon." he greets with a smile "Wow." looking her up and down "Is this how you think you'll bring me home?" sitting up

She rolls her eyes

"I'm sorry but, I'm not going back." leaning back down

"We had a deal, remember? I lived up to my end, now it's time for you to come home."

"Deals are only effective when both parties agree to it."

"Get up."

"No."

Bonnie lowers herself until she's at eye level with him "Get. Up." she repeats, her voice stern

"Oh." Damon starts "I get it." standing up from the chair smiling as she backs up "Everyone else shut you out. Moved on after I left. Realized that maybe I did the right thing by leaving. Now you think if I come back everyone will follow my lead and welcome you back." closing the space between them "Well, it's not going to happen."

She opens her mouth

"Think of it as my payback. I have to live without Elena. You have to live without...everyone." walking around her "For the rest of your already miserable life. But on the bright side" he stops leaning towards her ear "you won't have anyone to disappoint anymore. No more fear of us snapping your neck once we decide we want Elena back. And on top of all of that the other side is destroyed." he pauses taking his place in front of her again "So you won't have to watch us be happy that you're gone."

Stefan shakes his head and speeds over to Damon and snaps his neck, letting him drop to the ground. He looks up to Bonnie who hasn't even flinched at his actions.

"Bonnie-"

"Still think he loves me?" she breathes a tear rolling down her cheek, stepping over Damon's legs taking her bag from Stefan's hand, before walking back to the car.


	7. Chapter 7

Stefan throws Damon over his shoulder and walks back to the car seeing Bonnie standing at the driver's door. He drops Damon in the back seat and opens the door for Bonnie waiting until she's seated before closing the door handing her the keys when he's in the passenger's seat. Watching intently as she starts the car and backs out.

"Bonnie-"

"I don't want to talk about it." she whispers.

"I wasn't going to bring that up."

She looks at him, giving him a small smile.

"What?"

"It's just" she pauses "now I see why everyone likes you so much." shrugging.

He smiles then frowns after the words sink in.

"Not saying that I didn't before. It's just now I see why." she explains seeing his expression.

"Well to be honest, I jump at any chance to snap his neck."

She cracks a smile turning her attention back to the road.

"Why now?" he asks.

"First time we've actually talked. Well without Elena, Care or Damon. I just always felt like you saw me as the resident witch and only saved or protected me because of Elena."

He frowns trying to search his mind for a time where he actually treated Bonnie like a friend, coming up short remembering how he really did only come to her when he needed help, he decided that that was going change "So all I needed to do was snap Damon's neck?" he asks trying to lighten the mood.

She laughs "Another factor came into play but yeah, pretty much."

"You missed the turn." he says "Unless you plan on flying back in a bathing suit."

Bonnie cuts the wheel turning the car around, ignoring the horns turning onto the street smiling when she hears Damon fall to the floor.

"I'll be right back." she says getting out of the car walking back into Stefan's house. Taking time to marvel at the interior, wondering if she should just send them back to Mystic Falls so she could have some down time here. That thought dies when she sees nothing but blood bags and alcohol in the kitchen. After changing she walks back outside frowning when she sees Stefan in the backseat, Damon nowhere in sight.

"He woke up." Stefan states hooking his thumb to his right to where Damon was curled up on the floor.

"You know you can't do that at the airport, right?"

"Cloaking spell?" he suggests.

"Cloaking spell." she settles.

* * *

 _September 17, 2013_

 _Dear Elena,_

 _Damon's back. Well we've been back for about three weeks. I just haven't written because if I did the journal would be full of curse words and Damon being referred to Satan but let's be real, that would probably be an insult to Satan. I really regret going to get him and to be honest I would be okay if he left again, but sadly that isn't the case. He's still here and he's getting on my last nerve. I would say that I don't give a damn about him but...there's no more left to even refer to...if that makes any sense. You're probably wondering what he said. And I remember everything word for word but if I write it, I'm sure the journal would be set on fire or too wet from tears...maybe both._

 _Let's just say it was worse than anything he has ever said to me...probably anyone. And that says a lot, doesn't it? Aside from that the trip was really nice, Stefan went with me. And we actually became friends, I thought it would just last on the trip but it's gotten even better since we got back. I think Care is kind of jealous and Stefan told me jackass has a problem with it but like I said, I really don't care. But anyway back to the trip. Damon was in Miami don't worry he wasn't doing anything bad, Stefan's friend Bella said he got all of that out of his system before he got there. I'll spare you from the details. We found him on a nude beach. We exchanged words, Stefan snapped his neck and now we're home._

 _Since we've been back, me and Damon aren't talking at all. No texting, no emails...nothing. If anyone brings him up, I just ignore it and change the subject. Well I guess I should say that I'm not talking to him. He tries, but I've decided that he's not worth it. I think the only reason we were friends was because of the prison world, and being forced to deal with each other while he insisted on being in your life. I know if you were here you'd make him apologize but he's already done that. Well I guess I should say doing that because he comes by ALL OF THE TIME. He makes me want to pull my hair out by the roots, and if that was what it would take for him to go away I swear I would do it. He comes by the apartment and stands outside in the hallway (he hasn't been invited in) and asks for me to come out and talk to him until Caroline or Stefan makes him leave. He's showed up at Whitmore so many times even my professors think he's my boyfriend or something._

 _I'm about ready to set him on fire to be completely honest, but I won't. But let's be clear that this only for you and Stefan. Sorry if this makes you angry or sad but I just needed to vent and this is the closest I can get to doing it to you._

 _Love, Bon_

Bonnie closes the journal placing it beside her and falls back on the bed staring up at the ceiling. Not bothering to look up when her door opens then closes, her bed dipping from the weight.

"Guess who's here."

"Guess who doesn't give a fu-"

"Bonnie."

She looks up seeing that he's shirtless "Oh my God." she says covering her eyes "Why here?"

"Because he was drinking."

She sits up "So you guys are making me deal with him while he's drunk?"

Stefan folds his lips "Yes." he answers but sounding more like a question.

Bonnie huffs and rolls off of her bed, dragging her feet to her door.

"You're going to answer the door in that?" he asks.

"Out." she says raising her arm outside of the door.

"You really think answering in that" motioning towards her tank top and sleep shorts "is a good idea?" not being able to resist.

"Stefan." she warns.

"Okay." he says raising his arms walking back to Caroline's room.

She reaches out for her robe and walks to the front door opening it greeted by Damon with a smile on his face when he sees her.

"Bon B-" stopping when she scowls at him "Bonnie." he corrects himself watching it soften just a little.

"What?" irritation clear in her voice.

"You've been ignoring me."

She looks at him.

"Why?"

She frowns and steps back starting to slam the door in his face.

He reaches out and stops it.

"Just talk to me." he whispers "Or at least listen to me."

She looks down considering it before starting to open it again.

"I'm sorry about what I said to you in Miami. You know I didn't mean it."

She looks at him waiting, fighting back a smile when he doesn't say anything else "That's it?" she asks eyebrows raised "That's what you want to say to me? That you're sorry and that I know you didn't mean it?" her voice raising with each word "Damon do you know what you said to me? Like have you actually wrapped your mind around what you said?"

He looks at her "I said I didn't mean it."

"That's not a valid excuse."

"Well what am I supposed to say?"

"At least have the decency to not lie to my face."

"I'm not lying."

She looks at him and shakes her head wondering what she was on when she decided it was a good idea to bring him back.

"Do you honestly think I'd be here if I didn't-"

"Do **you** honestly think that I want this? To not be able to see my best friend again? For my life" pointing her finger to her heart "to be tied to her's? What, do you think me and Kai had a secret meeting planning to do this?"

"Of course I don't think that."

"Oh really? Because you told me that your payback to me was-"

"I didn't mean it." he interrupts her before she can say it.

"Whether you meant it or not" she starts "you said those things to hurt me." meeting his eyes "And you did." she whispers "So to me, you saying that you didn't mean it" she raises her shoulders "it doesn't mean anything to me." shaking her head lowering them back down "But what really makes me believe that apology is straight bull shit is that you didn't start apologizing until Enzo left and you found out Alaric isn't talking to anyone besides Jeremy."

Damon opens his mouth ready to defend himself but stops when she holds up her hand.

"If you want me to accept your apology or at least make me believe that it's real. You need to prove it." she says calmly "Until then, just like you told me once upon a time" stepping back until she shut the door "fuck off." gently pushing the door, holding his stare until it closes. She takes a breath before turning around seeing Stefan and Caroline standing behind her "Goodnight." she says walking past them to go back to her room but stops when she hears Stefan's voice

"You know he didn't mean any of that right?"

"In Miami." he clarifies.

"What I know, is that he wouldn't have said any of those things if we were ever friends. Especially if he loves me." going back to her room before he can say anything else and Caroline starts asking questions.


	8. Chapter 8

_October 8, 2013_

 _Dear Elena,_

 _He's trying. Every morning since our little exchange he comes by the apartment and brings me my favorite coffee (I take it from his hand and keep walking). He waits outside of my classes to carry my books. He compels my professors to hold off tests when he hears that I'm not prepared. He continues to offer to help me study, even though I always refuse. He even started to talk to me through Stefan. I didn't find this out until two weeks later._

 _Oh! So this happened;_

 _Two days ago Stefan came by and took me out to eat, and Damon took his place when Stefan excused himself from to the 'bathroom'. I barely started talking to Stefan again about...three hours ago. I should've known it was a trap as soon as Stefan made the 'date', usually we just show up and make plans as we go. I have to admit it was a good try but he ruined it. You're probably wondering how. So we were seated, we started talking, the waiter came and took our orders, then Stefan went to the bathroom. A couple of minutes later Damon sat down in his place, we did the formalities or whatever. He almost had me and then he screwed up. I got up from the table and walked away, he cornered me when we were out of view from everyone else and he made it even worse. How? He said and I quote "Your sorry attempt at making me jealous is getting old."_

"Bonnie."

She tilts her head back.

"I can hear you breathing."

"Go away Damon." she says looking back down to the journal.

 _Guess who's here. she writes I'll write soon. I'm sure this little visit will give us plenty to talk about._

 _Love, Bon_

"Not until we talk."

"One minute." he says when she doesn't reply.

Going against her better judgement, she gets up from her bed and starts to walk to the front door.

He whistles giving her a once over "Hair, makeup and nails." he says with a smile "I thought I was the one that was supposed to be trying to impress you." looking back up to her face expecting the small blush or at least a small smile she gives him when he teases her only to be greeted by an expression that practically screams 'kill me now'. Feeling a small twinge at the thought that she was truly over him and their friendship.

"So, since the dinner didn't go so well I-" he stops when he sees her nostrils flare.

"Didn't go so well?" she repeats looking at him.

"Okay, didn't go well?"

"Damon you basically called me Katherine!"

He fights back a smile.

"Are you serious?" she asks her eyes narrowing into slits.

"You're kind of hot when you're-"

She steps back and slams the door in his face.

"mad." he finishes.

She turns her back to the door stopping when she sees Stefan sitting at the counter top clearly amused by their little exchange.

"He's not wrong." he says casually.

"See? Even Stefan agrees." Damon says from behind the door.

"When did you even get here?" she asks ignoring him.

"A couple of minutes before you did. How was your date with Isaac?" smiling when he hears Damon.

"It was nice." she answers sitting down next to him ignoring Damon's questions "The only bad thing is that he took me to my favorite restaurant."

 _"You don't like this place?" Isaac asked seeing the look on her face._

 _"No, I love it here." she says immediately "It's just...you remember that friend I told you about?"_

 _He nods "David."_

 _She laughs even harder figuring he did it on purpose when he smiles "Yes, David took me here the other day. Well Stefan did but it was a trap so we could talk."_

 _"Hm." he says looking at her before starting the car again._

 _"What-"_

 _"If I take you in there you're mind will be on Damon and I don't think I'll get a second date if you're focused on him. That place is where dates go to die anyway." smiling when she laughs._

Stefan smiles "Wasn't my idea."

Bonnie blinks being taken out of the memory by Stefan's words "But you had a part in it."

"My job was to get you there. I didn't tell him what to say."

They both look up when the door opens.

"Hi." Caroline greets walking through the door closing it with her heel "How was your date?"

"He took me to the restaurant." she answers watching her place bags on the countertop.

Caroline raises her eyebrows "So no second?" starting to take the contents out.

"There better not be." Damon chimes in behind the door.

Caroline laughs "Bonnie."

"What? So he can harass me inside?"

"It's not harassment. It's trying to get back to where we were." frustration clear in his voice.

"He is trying." Caroline says closing the refrigerator.

"Thanks Blondie." he says.

"So are you going to tell us how it went or are we going to have to find the journal?" sitting across from them.

"I haven't told Elena." she says looking down.

"Why not?"

"There's no point. It'll just make her sad."

She looks at her "That is exactly the point. The journal is for her. She wants you to tell her about everything. I can already hear her now, slamming me with questions." she pauses a smile appearing on her face "Unless…"

Bonnie looks at her "Okay, I'm not doing this tonight." she says shaking her head turning away from them.

Caroline rolls her eyes and turns to Stefan "Did you see Isaac?"

Stefan glances at Bonnie shifting under the look she gives him before looking back to Caroline "No."

Bonne frowns "Stefan, what did you do?"

"Nothing, I didn't see him."

"You're lying." Caroline and Bonnie say at the same time.

"What are you laughing at?" Caroline asks looking at the door.

"Saint Stefan being called a liar is gold." he answers.

Bonnie flicks her wrist, smiling when she hears a loud thump.

"Why haven't we gotten kicked out yet? Or at least a notice or something?" Bonnie asks wondering why they haven't been approached by a neighbor yet.

"I compelled everyone to ignore it." Caroline answers waving her off.

Bonnie looks at her taken off guard then turns to Stefan who shrugs.

"Bonnie." Damon calls from the other side of the door.

"What?"

"Can I come in now?"

She looks at Stefan.

"Tell him." he says simply.

"What's going on?" Caroline asks narrowing her eyes at them.

"Nothing." Bonnie answers walking to the door "You're not off the hook." she says pointing at Stefan.

"Or at least open" he stops and stands up straight when he sees her, backing up when she closes the door after her walking past him. He watches her confused until she stops at the end of the hallway looking back to him tilting her head. Taken back when he speeds over to her. He opens his mouth stopping when she holds up her hand starting to walk again. Following her lead, turning corner after corner and climbing an ungodly amount of stairs she stops in front of a big green metal door. Rolling her shoulders back before pushing it open, stepping back motioning for him to go first. He looks at her warily before walking into the dark.

"Be careful." she says catching his arm before he falls over the edge.

Once she feels him catch his balance she takes a breath and lifts her arms smiling as the tunnel lights up, pushing her arm forward a door at the end swing out.

Damon smiles as the tunnel lights up, before a rush of cold air hits them as the door opens at the end.

"The roof?" he asks looking back at her.

"The roof."

"Push me off?"

She smiles and walks past him walking off of the edge laughing when she hears him scream.

"Relax." she says looking up at him sitting cross legged, patting the space beside her until he hops down.

"So how did you find this?" he asks after coming out of his shock.

She gives him a sad smile "You."

"Me?" he asks confused.

"You remember when you basically told me I wasn't worth anything?"

He looks at her "Bonnie-" stopping when she lifts her hand.

"Let me finish." she says waiting until he nods "Well after that, and after you not bothering to say a word to me afterwards. I came up here." glancing back down at the cars speeding below "I stood right up there." looking back at him as she points her finger up to where he just was "And I jumped." watching as his face falls "Yeah." she whispers "I sprained my ankle." she says with a smile as if it was a joke.

"Bonnie-"

"I'm not done yet." she says holding his stare "Stefan" smiling as she shakes her head "came out of the woodworks and nearly jumped after me, the only reason he didn't was when he heard me say stop. And hopped down and tried to give me his blood but I told him no so he drove me to the hospital."

"He didn't tell me."

"I made him promise not to. Not even Care knows." she looks away "Well knows why." she sniffles wiping her eyes before continuing "But anyway, I didn't let anyone give me any blood until I realized that you weren't coming by. But if I had kept the little wrap they did on me on for just one more day you would've saw what you…" she trails off shaking her head "what I did to myself."

"I didn't-"

"You didn't mean it. I know. I heard you. Over and over and over and over again." she snaps before looking away taking a deep breath to calm herself down "But now you know why that apologyㅡthat excuse doesn't work, right?" she pauses waiting for him to respond.

"Yeah" he breathes "I'm sorry." he says looking up to her tears in his eyes "You know" he stops himself "I didn't" he stops and groans.

She looks at him "Yeah" nodding her head "I guess I wouldn't know how to apologize for something like that either. There aren't really words to make up for something like this."

He looks back up at her wondering when she had started taking his words at face value.

"I didn't tell Elena either."

"That's not what I was going to ask." he says as if he were offended.

She looks at him waiting.

"I don't know how to apologize to you for making you bring yourself to...jump. I was just lashing out at you. But if I knew that what I said would hurt you that much I would have never said that to you."

"Damon, if Stefan hadn't stepped in, you would've went on."

He closes his eyes knowing that she was right, not that he'd ever admit it.

"Let's just be glad that Stefan was there on both occasions." she says standing up "But then the word we in this case wouldn't be applicable if he wasn't there for one of them." hoisting herself back on the upper ledge.

He gets up and speeds in front of her clasping his hands on her shoulders "Bonnie. How am I" he stops "You do realize that I chose you over Elena" he pauses "right?" watching her look away "And it is not because she would be mad that I let you die. Because there's only three people in that room that know that I had the option of choosing. If I had left you there Elena would be here and no one but me would know the real reason she was. They would've believed that I couldn't get to you in time or whatever bull I would've told them. But did I do that? No. I chose to save you over Elena. And do you know why?" he asks waiting until she looks back at him "Because even I know you deserve it more than she does." smiling at her reaction "And no it's not because you're a witch because if I wanted another I would go and get Bella. Who I'm sure just jumped at the opportunity to bash me." rolling his eyes "And about what I said in Miami...it was just me being me. Taking my frustration out on you, like I usually do and as much as you don't believe me. I. Am. Sorry. If I knew what I said to you would lead us here, I wouldn't have said it." he lets her go and steps away from her "If you don't want anything to do with me, I understand but I don't" he stops "I really don't want that."

Bonnie looks at him "You really suck at apologies." a smile on her face "You almost had me and then you lost me at the 'I was just taking my frustration out on you like I usually do'."

He closes his eyes.

"And the honourable mention 'it's not because I'm a witch'." she says with a laugh walking back inside.


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm not going to a birthday party." Damon says flipping the page to his book.

"Not even for Bonnie?"

"If she were talking to me, of course. But since she's not" he looks around his book "no thanks." going back to reading.

"Well I guess that's good, she'll probably enjoy the party even more now that she doesn't have to worry about running into you with her date."

Damon is in front of Stefan in a flash "Excuse me?"

"It's costume only." he says with a smile seeing that his brother took the bait.

"Then who are you supposed to be?"

"Don't know yet."

"You're letting Blondie dress you now?"

"I'm going to ignore this right now because I know that this is just you being upset you don't have anyone to make you dress up this year. But for the record it's not Caroline."

Damon frowns "Then who?"

"Bonnie." he grins moving just before Damon reaches him "I'm leaving in-"

"I don't need a damn costume."

"I can't wait to hear you say that to Caroline." he says opening the door waiting for him to go first "But try to sell it." he says closing the door after them.

...

Damon walks in, scanning his eyes around the room before landing on two people dancing in the crowd.

"Cleopatra." he states watching her spin around a smile on her face before laughing at whatever Caroline just said.

He turns to Stefan "I thought you said Bonnie was in charge of your costume."

"I lied." he admits "But it looks like Caroline already took care of it anyway." with a shrug.

Damon looks at him "We should've never came back here."

"I think that's the first thing we've ever agreed on." Stefan replies after a moment.

He nods.

"But you wouldn't have Bonnie."

"Why do you think I need-"

"Why don't you?" Stefan asks before looking away.

He frowns breathing out.

"Let's face it." he starts "Yes, Elena had a part in changing us but she's not who made us who we are today. Yeah, she made everyone give you a chance but when Elena chose you, Caroline kept me from going off of the rails. And for some reason Bonnie continues to hold you up to a high standard, despite how you treat her and as much as you don't want to admit it, you do try to live up to them. Elena tries" he stops "well does accept the bad parts of you but she's not who keeps you from trying not to give in to them. Because Elena would find a way to accept it but Bonnie wouldn't, she'd scold you and you'd actually care that she's mad at you." he looks to his brother "Am I wrong?" he asks, smiling when he looks away.

He rolls his eyes when he sees Caroline smirking at him before looking back to Bonnie who seems oblivious to the whole thing. "I'm not drunk enough for this." he says before walking away.

* * *

Bonnie smiles enjoying herself, feeling carefree for the first time in years. Maybe it was the alcohol but she couldn't help but smile. Feeling it grow as each song passed.

"The boys are here." she hears Caroline say.

And just like that her good mood went away. She felt her smile being replaced by the straight line she always found on her face when she looked in the mirror. The harder she tried to make it go away the more frustrating it had become. She figured Caroline must have saw it because her smile went away, a look of guilt settling on her face.

"I'm sorry." she says stopping along with her

Bonnie shakes her head starting to say something stopping when she sees Stefan in her peripheral.

"I'm going to get a drink." she says turning to walk away right before he reaches them, starting to push her way through the crowd apologizing each time she bumps into someone. Once she gets through she straightens her costume out before going to the bar stopping dead in her tracks when she sees Damon walking towards her. Immediately turning away, grabbing her dress lifting it up slightly starting to run to the bathroom groaning when he gets in front of her.

"Cleopatra." he says smiling at her.

She huffs and starts to turn around, stopping when he grabs her arm she frowns and looks at his hand before looking at him eyes narrowed fighting back a smile when he flinches releasing her immediately.

He blinks when she doesn't try to leave right away.

"Well?" she asks waiting for him to say something.

"Can we go outside?" he asks sounding like a child.

She looks at him, before looking around letting her dress go, her arms falling to her side.

He smiles and starts to guide her to the outside deck, watching as she crosses her arms shifting her weight to one side.

"You're right." he starts "I suck at apologies. But I've tried everything that I can think of. I've tried saying sorry and actually meaning it. I don't have an excuse that validates what I said to you, there isn't one. There's literally no explanation to give for what I said. I've tried everything that I can do for you at school. I tried sending you gifts...but then I remembered you aren't the type of girl that wants materialism or takes it as an apology. I don't know what else there is to do. Even the Saint doesn't have an idea of what you want." he pauses "I know this is going to bite me in the ass but, do you even know what it is that you want?" watching as she looks away "Because I'm starting to think that you just don't want anything to do with me anymore. And just using this as an excuse."

Bonnie looks at him "I want you to make me feel like like your apology is sincere."

"It is." he says almost pleading "Do you think I would've have done anything past just apologizing and expecting you to forgive me if I didn't?" he asks immediately regretting the words.

"Okay." she says.

"Okay what?" he asks searching her eyes, opening his mouth to ask again when she doesn't respond.

"I felt like you didn't give a damn about me. You went five whole days before saying a word to me. I jumped off of a roof because you hurt me. And I feel like a complete dumbass for it. As much as I'm thankful for Stefan...at the same time I kind of wish that both him and that ledge weren't there. Because I feel like Elena should be here, not me. When you said I deserved to be here instead of her" she pauses "I didn't believe it. I wanted to forgive you but afterwards, but I took your backtrack and ignored that part, and after a while what you said just made me...angry." she says looking down "I-"

"Bonnie?"

She looks up a wave of relief washing over her "Hey."

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you." a smile on his face "Caroline is compelling people to do karaoke."

Damon frowns finally looking away from her "Compelling?" he asks turning his attention to the voice seeing a guy with short brown hair, olive skin and blue eyes staring at Bonnie with a smile on his face.

He tenses up and looks over to Damon his nose twitching before starting to relax "You must be Damon." he says walking over to him "I'm Isaac." extending his hand.

Damon looks at him and meets his hand squeezing it as hard as he can, frowning when he doesn't flinch, instead squeezing harder than he had.

"Nice to meet you." he says with a smug smile pulling away before turning back to Bonnie who smiles and walks to him clearly ignoring Damon's eyes, which Isaac appeared to enjoy. His smile growing when she takes his hand in hers.

"What happened to everyone?" she asks looking around.

"It's almost sunrise."

"Bonnie! You're next." Caroline says stepping in front of them.

"No. Absolutely not." Bonnie says shaking her head.

"It's my birthday." she whines.

"Was, it was your birthday." she corrects sitting down next to Stefan.

She rolls her eyes and looks up watching Damon walk over to them, looking back to Bonnie before walking away disappearing to the back room.

"Bonnie." he says.

Bonnie looks back at him and smiles "You want me to forgive you?"

He looks at her and fights back a comment simply nodding his head instead.

"Sing a song with Caroline." smirking at his reaction "Song of her choice." meeting Stefan's hand for a high five. Both bursting into laughter when Caroline swoops in out of nowhere dragging him onto the stage.

"Excuse me?" Caroline says into the microphone waiting for everyone to look at her.

Bonnie smiles when she sees everyone turn to the stage.

"Me and my...friend here are going to sing a song. Can I have some suggestions?" she asks grinning when she hears all sorts of names being screamed at her before glancing to Stefan and Bonnie.

"'My Heart Will Go On'!" Stefan yells.

"Look at you, all in touch with your feminine side." Damon snarks looking at Stefan.

"'I Knew You Were Trouble'!" Bonnie screams smiling when Damon looks at her clearly fighting back a retort.

"'Obsessed'." Matt says glancing at Bonnie.

Bonnie snorts reaching behind Isaac to smack him on his arm.

"'Let It Go'." Isaac suggests quietly earning an appreciative nod from Stefan.

Caroline raises her eyebrows, her mouth forming an 'o' sneaking a glance at Damon.

"I like you." Stefan says pointing at him before looking at Bonnie nodding his head.

"I don't." Damon mutters looking at Caroline.

"'Jealous' works too." he says in response earning a questioning look from Bonnie and a laugh from Stefan.

"Okay." Caroline says feeling the tension rising looking back to Bonnie for help.

"I said of your choice."

"'I Knew You Were Trouble' it is." looking back to Damon.

"I can't believe he's doing this." Bonnie says watching him pick up a microphone as the music starts.

Stefan looks at her "Oh, you could've had him do way worse."

* * *

For the sake of the story can we pretend 'Frozen' came out early and 'Jealous' came out in 2013? :)


	10. Chapter 10

Bonnie's eyes flutter open the next morning finding herself staring at the ceiling, when they adjust. She groans and turns to her side jumping back when she sees Damon staring at her.

"Good morning."

She feels her eyes widen, lips parting but her words freezing in her throat when he smiles at her. She starts to move trying to feel if she was clothed letting out a sigh of relief as she closes her eyes.

"You wish." he snorts.

"What do you want? And how are you even in here?" she covers her face and groans as memories from last night flood her mind before turning away from him, frowning when she feels her bed lift, followed by her door closing. She sits up in her bed looking around her room before grabbing her phone from her nightstand, seeing a text from Isaac.

"Please tell me I'm just seeing things." she hears Caroline say as her door swings open with not so much as a knock.

"He said we didn't do anything." she replies tossing her phone to the side deciding to read it later, getting up from her bed stretching.

"And you believe him?"

"Look at what I'm wearing." she says looking down at her shirt.

Caroline smiles looking at her ratty t shirt with a hole at the hem.

"Besides" she stops and takes a whiff turning back to Caroline "Did you cook?"

"I made you breakfast." Damon says walking back into the room with a plate in his hand, a glass of orange juice in the other. He smiles at Caroline "Morning Blondie." strolling past her sitting down on Bonnie's bed as if it was his room, ignoring their stares.

Bonnie frowns and looks back to Caroline.

"I tried but you waved me off. Isaac would be here but he had to check in to make sure everyone was okay."

Bonnie nods and starts to leave the room rolling her eyes when Damon steps in front of her.

"Eat." he says turning her around.

"I have plans."

"Not anymore." Caroline states "You can have him back next week." she assures "We think you should give him a chance, plus that one" pointing at Damon "is yours."

Bonnie glares at her as she leaves the room.

"By we she means her." Stefan says peeking in the room "She's dragging me to some couple's cooking class."

"But we were supposed to go-"

"I know but she-"

"is the one that wears the pants in the relationship." Damon finishes, smirking at him.

"I'll see you later." Stefan says ignoring his brother.

"Have fun." Bonnie teases.

"Hilarious." Stefan remarks as he closes the door.

"No goodbye?" Damon says waiting until he hears the door close.

Bonnie smiles and goes back to sit down on her bed picking up plate setting it in her lap starting to eat.

"So, what were these plans?"

"Doesn't matter." she replies between bites not looking at him.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asks after a deafening silence fills the room.

"What?" she asks taken back.

"Do you want me to leave?" he repeats meeting her eyes "Obviously I'm making you feel uncomfortable so if you want me to go just say so."

"Since when do you care about making someone uncomfortable?"

"Since you shut me out." he replies leaning back against the headboard.

"I tried that years ago." remembering all the times she walked around him as if he was nothing but a roadblock, glared at him until he took a hint, straight out pretended he wasn't there and giving him aneurysms until he left her alone.

"No. You tried ignoring me." smiling almost fondly at the times she physically removed him out of her way without one word, even throwing him around her house before opening the door sending him flying out so hard he bounced off of the ground twice.

She drops her fork "And the difference was?"

He opens his mouth then closes it "Fair enough."

"Have you talked to Ric?" she asks not looking up.

"Yeah."

"How is he?"

"Still breathing. He started showering again." watching as she pushes her plate away "What are you really trying to ask me?"

She pulls her knees into her chest "How are you?" staring at him "With all of this."

He shrugs.

"Don't."

He frowns then relaxes "Better than Ric."

"Barely."

He nods "Barely."

She looks down "Do you still blame me?" her voice barely above a whisper.

"No." he says after a moment, wondering if that was the reason she was pushing him away "Do you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't think Kai would have done it if I never left him in that prison world."

"Well that's a new development." he says getting up from the bed.

Bonnie folds her lips and rests her head on her knees, wondering if she had just made a mistake by revealing that information.

* * *

 _October 11, 2013_

 _Dear Elena,_

 _As you know yesterday was Care's birthday. What did we do? A birthday party of course. As always it had a theme, this year she decided on costumes and because of that we tried to have her hold it off until Halloween but as expected she was not having it. No matter the excuse we proposed she shot down every single one. After her party died down and it was just us ( Caroline, Stefan, Matt, Damon, Enzo, Isaac, me) and a couple of friends we made at Whitmore. You're probably wondering how me and Damon were able to be in the same room and also who Isaac is. Don't worry I'll explain later. But after about eighty five percent of the guests left we had fun. We completely butchered songs...well they did me and Care completely put them to shame...and Enzo...which was a shock to us all...I mean who knew? Care cut her cake...well her second one, made bad decisions and went back to the boarding house and passed out. And now I'm here (the apartment)._

 _Costumes: I was Cleopatra. Caroline was Sandy from Grease, knowing Stefan would show up in a leather jacket so he was automatically assumed to be Danny. Matt was a police officer (total cop out). Enzo was Jack The Ripper (a dick, I know). And Damon was his self. I'm still surprised Care let him stay._

 _So now to explain;_

 _Me and Damon made up:_

 _Remember how I told you about Damon visiting and I would have plenty to write about? Well after I finished that entry I went to the door and actually gave him a chance to talk to me. He put his foot in his mouth...shocking, I know. I slammed the door in his face. Stefan said he wasn't wrong (that I'm cute when I'm mad) we talked about my date (where Isaac comes in). Care coming home, trying to make me have kids._

 _She thinks that me having children would be like leaving a piece of me for you to take care of. I shut that conversation down before she got carried away. Stefan convinced me to talk to him so we went to the roof. Don't worry I didn't push him off, it was just so we could talk without two certain vampires eavesdropping. Needless to say at this point but he failed. At the party he apologized and I kind of forgave him but ONLY because he actually made a valid point. He really was trying, but I was still using his backtrack to stay mad at him. He asked me if I even knew I wanted him to do and I didn't have an answer. But Isaac came to the rescue and I used Caroline's favorite awful past time to have him earn my friendship back. I still can't believe he actually did it._

She closes her eyes and smiles at the memory before starting to write again.

 _He actually sang 'I Knew You Were Trouble' with Caroline on stage in front of people. I have it own video and everything...and it's amazing. I'll leave it for you so you can see it for yourself. I'll just leave it in the crypt before...you know._

 _Isaac:_

 _Isaac is a guy I am kind of dating right now. He's a werewolf. I try to stay clear of dating those that are fortunate enough to not have any supernatural ties whatsoever. I just don't want to drag them into...all of this. But anyway, I met him when I was visiting a friend in the hospital. Whole different story for another time, and we just kind of hit it off. Weird right? Almost like flirting in a cemetery...just kidding._

 _For our first date he took me to my favorite restaurant (keep in mind that this is the same place as the Damon incident) but it was nice. Nice enough for me to take him as my date to Care's party. Where Damon finally got to meet him. And Damon being Damon tried to intimidate him but Isaac kind of one upped him. He even suggested for Damon to sing Let It Go and Jealous, I'll leave those on my phone to even though you probably won't care for them. Besides Damon everyone seems to like him. Unless they're just putting up with him for me. Either way, it's going good. I'm just hoping it stays that way even though I know something bad is bound to happen. Well actually that's kind of a lie, for our first date he did take me to the restaurant but after learning what happened there he improvised. After driving to a grocery store ( instructing me to stay in the car so everything would be a surprise ) He took me to this place with an amazing view...that made Mystic Falls actually look nice, as in if you didn't know what goes on here you would think it was kind of beautiful. You could hear the falls and everything. As insane and impossible as it may sound as in like I'm reaching I really hope you get to meet him one day. I'm not saying I want to marry him and have his children or anything but I really do like him. He makes me laugh and forget about everything. Even if his roommate is an asshole. If you don't, just know that he made me happy._

 _I do have an update on Alaric, thanks to Jeremy. He says he's doing better. He's still drinking but not to the point of passing out anymore. He actually gets up, started showering again. He talked to Damon, but from opposite sides of the door. He said he doesn't blame me for what happened, and to stop beating myself up for it._

 _Isn't it crazy? That this is what our lives are now? It makes me miss the old days when our biggest problem was Damon. Hell, I'd give anything to go back to when it was us wondering what Katherine was up to. Now we're...everything is just so screwed up. But I don't think I would mind if you were here with me to go through it all. I'm not saying that Care and Stefan aren't enough but I just really wish that you were here. You know what I did the other day? I actually went and spent the whole day trying to find a time spell. Obviously I didn't find o_ ne. _Just another thing to add onto my list of fails._

She stops and rereads what she just wrote, tempted to rip the page out and rewrite but shakes her head and continues.

 _Sorry. I didn't mean to ramble on and make this entry all depressing. I'll try better next time. Promise. Also sorry for all of the parenthesis and the I know's. Kind of limited here._

 _Love, Bon_

"Bonnie?"

Bonnie closes the journal placing it on the ground behind her looking back to the glass sliding doors "Yes?" she answers watching Stefan walk out until he's behind her wrapping his arms around her.

"We talked about this." pulling her back until her legs aren't dangling over the side anymore.

She rolls her eyes "We talked about not going onto the roof, you never said anything about the balcony."

"Well now I am."

"Stefan."

"I don't want you to-"

"I'm not." she says cutting him off not wanting to hear about one of the lowest points in her life "He can't say anything worse than what he already did. And even if he does…" she trails off "he'll be the one that'll take the fall." hooking her thumb over her shoulder returning his smile before turning back around.

"What's wrong?" he asks watching as she walks back to the railing leaning against it.

"It's nothing." she says shaking her head.

"No it's not." walking up to her "Did Damon-"

"No. He was actually nice." looking down "Even when I told him about the whole Kai thing." she adds quietly.

Stefan looks at her "You were just doing what you thought was best."

"Yeah. That's what he said." looking back up at him.

"So, what did you do today?"

"He took me to the book signing."

Stefan looks away.

"Aww." she says smiling as he looks away from her "Are you jealous?"

"Of course not." he says looking back to her.

"I thought you'd be relieved."

"Hanging out with you isn't a chore."

She purses her lips.

"It's actually the best part out of all of this. You're actually fun when there's no one else around."

She looks at him.

"Not that you're not…" he trails off as she raises her eyebrows waiting for him to go on "Did you talk to Isaac?" he asks trying to change the subject.

She smiles "Yeah. About that, do you like him?"

"I like how he doesn't like Damon."

"That wasn't an answer."

"I don't know him."

"So no?"

"I do." Caroline says walking towards them.

Bonnie holds out her hand smiling when Stefan looks at Caroline as he pulls out his wallet before looking down pulling a twenty out placing it on Bonnie's palm.

Caroline narrows her eyes and folds her arms across her chest watching them.

"Well of course you do, you're the one that made me call him." Bonnie says putting it in her pocket.

"What the hell was that?" she asks Stefan ignoring Bonnie.

"Everytime you listen to us talk, I give Bonnie twenty dollars."

"We're up to three hundred now." Bonnie says watching as Caroline frowns "For what it's worth, I use the money to buy your gifts." turning around to pick up her journal. She frowns and cranes her neck to the door when she hears laughter.

"Oh. Damon's here." Caroline says "You don't want him to be here?" she asks when Bonnie looks away.

"Isaac's coming over. I was hoping that you two would...not be here." raising her eyebrows looking back and forth between them hoping that they take the hint.

Caroline smiles while Stefan looks as if he wished he didn't hear that.

"No. There's no way in hell." Damon says walking outside.

Bonnie tilts her head back "Damon you don't have a say in this."

"I don't care. I'm not-"

"Fine." she says cutting him off "We'll just go to his house." breezing past him.

Damon frowns watching her walk inside, since when did Bonnie become comfortable enough to admit she was going to give it up? Then back to Caroline and Stefan who have smiles on their faces "What?"

"Nothing." Caroline says shrugging "It's just that if I didn't know any better. I'd think you were jealous." following after Bonnie.

He blinks and looks down before making the mistake of looking at Stefan "Well?"

"You really need me to say it?"

"Enlighten me."

"Okay, you're jealous."

Damon looks at him "Of what?"

"Of Isaac."

"Pfft. Okay." he says sarcastically.

"Weren't you the one that constantly made fun of her for not" he stops and waves his hand around "and then she was with Jeremy you became even more of a dick to him. Didn't even know that was possible, but you somehow managed. And now she has Isaac, who you have nothing against. But still don't want him anywhere near her."

"I don't trust him."

"You didn't trust Mason either."

"So I have something against werewolves. Sue me."

Stefan tries to remember if he had something against Tyler but comes up short deciding not to bring it up because it served no purpose to what he was about to say next "No, you have something against guys that come into people's lives that you want. Or in this case need." Whether his brother would admit it out loud or not he wasn't dumb enough to not realize that Bonnie is the healthiest relationship he has considering that he can't name more than seven times he did her wrong. And even though it's not that small of a number, that's saying something. Sure he hasn't done Elena wrong more times than he can count on two hands but unlike Elena he wasn't above apologizing to Bonnie.

"Excuse me?"

"Mason had Katherine. I had Elena. And now Isaac has Bonnie."

"Three people."

"Matt had Elena. Jeremy had Bonnie. Matt also had Rebekah. Then there was that random guy that Elena was dating." he says pointing at him.

Damon narrows his eyes not wanting to hear another name "You think I need Bonnie?"

"Not just you. I can't be the only one that realized Bonnie took Elena's place after Elena turned." He sighs when Damon gives him a blank stare "I'm the only one that realized...okay. Elena used to insist on putting her life on the line to save everyone back when she could die and stay dead. But when she could die and come back, Bonnie was the one that continuously put her life on the line to save us."

"Bonnie's a witch." he replies as if that made Stefan's explanation void.

"Witches aren't immortal. Did you forget that you had to save her?"

Damon blinks "She told you?"

"No, you did. Right before you ran off into the night and lost your only friend."

"She's not my only friend."

Stefan chuckles "If you're referring to Enzo, he only came back for Caroline's birthday and then took off again. Unless...you know where he is."

"It's not like you have any either."

He nods "You know what? Maybe I should go find him and stake him." watching Damon frown "It's only fair." he says holding his stare "A friend for a friend."

"Stefan."

They both turn to the door seeing Caroline stepping outside.

"Bonnie's leaving." she says before turning to Damon, moving to let Stefan walk past her.

"Don't hold back now."

"There's nothing left to say." Caroline says with a shrug "Unless you want me to tell you how no one would be shocked that you actually like Bonnie." she holds up her hand when he opens his mouth "Of course you do, she's your best friend but we're not referring her to that anymore. As painful and pathetic it was to watch you pine over Katherine and Elena, it's not as painful as watching you insist that you love Elena more than you love Bonnie. I have never seen or heard you apologize to anyone but her, well and probably actually mean it. She's the only person that you're not above apologizing to. That you actually respect. Since when do you keep yourself in check to not piss people off? You compelled Ric...your best friend to find the ascendant to get Bonnie back. Knowing that he would hate you for it. You knew that he'd forgive you so you didn't do much, but for Bonnie…" she trails off shaking her head as she walks towards him "But if you think for one second" her voice turning serious "that I'm going to let you weasel your way into her heart like that crap you pulled with Elena. You're wrong, because the second I find out you broke her heart" closing the space between them "Stefan's brother or not, I will rip your heart right out of your chest. Unlike you and seemingly everyone else around here I can handle Elena not talking to me."

"Caroline stop threatening Damon." Bonnie calls out from inside.

Damon blinks and lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding when he sees Caroline walk inside, rolling his eyes when he sees Stefan walk back outside with a smile on his face.

"You're going to let your girlfriend talk to me like that?"

He shrugs "She'd probably do something worse...just as a warning because of course you're going to do something stupid. It's not your fault, it's just in your nature. But I don't think she'd actually kill you unless Bonnie told her it was okay."


	11. Chapter 11

"Why?"

Caroline frowns "Why what?"

Bonnie looks up watching Stefan walk back inside "And you too."

"Me? What did I do?"

"Nothing is going to happen between us, so stop." looking back and forth between them "Okay?" tired of them dropping 'hints' left and right.

"Okay." Caroline says sounding defeated.

Bonnie nods even though she didn't take that seriously for a second, before turning on her heel when she hears someone knocking the door.

Caroline turns to Stefan "She says that now."

She stops walking and turns to face them.

"Well, how did we start off?"

"You were attracted to Stefan."

She opens her mouth then closes it seeing no point in denying it since it wasn't a secret.

"You became friends and then somewhere down the line you fell in love with him, he realized he loved you too and now here we are." she says deciding to ignore what brought them together.

"Okay, and how did you and Damon start?" Caroline asks.

Bonnie smirks "Nice try." pulling her dress down before opening the door "Hi." she greets Isaac giving him a kiss.

"I don't understand why she wore it if she's just going to pull it down." Caroline states looking at Bonnie.

"Hi. You look…" he trails off, seeing her in a little black dress paired with black round toe heels "wow."

"Because she's in front of us." Stefan replies.

Bonnie smiles and turns back to Caroline and Stefan giving them a look.

"What?" Caroline asks with a frown.

"We can hear you." Bonnie replies.

Caroline looks to Isaac.

He smiles "Hey Care." giving her a wave, nodding to Stefan.

"Hey." she says returning his smile "Have fun."

Stefan looks at Isaac "Not that kind of fun."

"Let her live."

"You sound a little too excited." turning back to Caroline.

Bonnie looks at them shaking her head "Ignore them." she says walking past him.

"I'll have her back before her curfew." Isaac jokes closing the door.

"Bon-" Damon says walking back inside stopping when he sees the door close.

"So close." Stefan says smiling at him.

"I'm going to ignore this right now, because I know that this is just you being bitter that your best friend being stolen away from you." walking past them.

Stefan chuckles "Nice."

"Woah, woah, woah." Caroline says walking around the island "What do you think you're doing?"

"Going home." he answers "What did you think I was doing?"

"Going after her."

"Should I?"

"No. Sit down."

"So I can hear you two? Not happening."

"Five minutes." she says "We need to talk anyway."

Damon frowns and looks to Stefan who shrugs going to sit down at the counter.

Caroline sits next to him and points to the stool in front of them, crossing her arms as he takes a seat.

* * *

"It's like they have no shame."

"You say it like my friends have a filter."

She looks at him "Fair enough. Curfew?"

"You remember how we got back around three?"

She nods.

"Well after I left, Stefan cornered me and told me to never do it again." he says opening the door.

She closes her eyes "He didn't."

"Were you two ever…"

"Oh God no. He's just been around for a while now. He's kind of like a brother. Think Matt but when he says that he'll kill you, he actually means it."

"Kill? I thought he was the nice one." opening the door to his car closing it after she's seated.

"He has a better temper." 'For the most part.' she adds in her mind "Not as impulsive as Damon, just as dangerous but only if someone's life depends on it, protecting someone close to him...or if he's on a vendetta or something."

"So never hurt you."

"Never hurt me." she confirms with a small smile.

"He does know that you can protect yourself though, right?"

"I think so, but the whole protective older brother thing is still there."

He smiles and starts his car putting it into drive pulling out onto the main road "I thought we were staying in tonight."

"I did too."

"Damon?"

"Yeah."

"He doesn't like me?" he asks but it comes out as more of a statement.

"Not really." she admits "I don't think he trusts you." looking at him "It's okay, you can ask." completely aware of his concerns of Damon and Stefan to a certain extent.

"Did something happen last night?"

"No." she answers, waiting for him to do the same.

"Haley just wanted me to make sure everyone was okay. She wasn't sure if everyone was still out here."

"How's Ty?"

"He's doing better. I didn't know they were that close."

"Neither did I. But I'm not surprised, in a very rare moment that she didn't have them around her, the old Elena sometimes came out for a visit."

"You miss her."

"More than anything." leaning back against the headrest "It just sucks that I'm never going to see the old her again." turning to look out of the window when the car stops.

"I thought we should stick to our original plan."

She watches him with a smile on her face as he gets out of the car walking to her side opening her door. She looks up staring at the high rise "Still can't believe you actually live here." looking back down seeing her hand in his.

"You say it like you live in a shack."

"It is compared to this." walking inside looking around the building.

"It never ceases to amaze you." he says with a smile on his face as she looks around.

"Everytime I come over it's redecorated. We're lucky to even have a plant in the lobby."

"The manager just hasn't made up her mind yet." he states leading her into the elevator pressing the button to the seventh floor.

Bonnie steps in front of him reaching for his other hand wrapping his arms around her waist as she leans back into him.

He lifts her hands above her head spinning her around, smiling when he hears her laugh, stopping when her eyes meet his.

When the doors open neither of them acknowledge it, their eyes still locked on each other.

"Excuse me." a voice says.

"Excuse me!" they repeat "Oh, it's you." they say when Isaac looks up.

"Nicole." standing up straight "Hi."

Bonnie frowns and turns her head to her, giving her a once over before wiggling out of Isaac's grip walking out of the elevator waiting for him to do the same.

"I'll be back tomorrow." she says as they walk by each other.

"So. Who was that?" she asks when they reach his door.

"By the look on her face it's Mike's ex." he answers opening the door "Mike?" turning on the lights looking around.

"How pissed is she?" he asks walking out of the hallway stopping when he sees Bonnie "Bonnie." he says with a smile.

"Flavor of the week?" she asks.

He looks at her "We're past the part of being civil to each other now?"

She smiles "It almost sounds like you haven't been bashing me behind my back."

"Well..." he trails off.

"Hm." she says raising her eyebrows "I guess we're even then." walking around him.

He narrows his eyes watching her "And for your information we were together for a month." he calls out after her.

"Oh. A record." she retorts not looking back at him.

Mike looks back to Isaac when he hears him snicker "Nice girl."

"Better than the ones you bring home."

"Bitter about having blue ball-" stopping when Isaac looks at him pointing towards the direction she just walked.

"Oh." he whispers "Really?" eyebrows raised.

"Not if you're here."

"Got it." grabbing his keys walking out of the door.

Isaac walks to his room, eyes widening when he sees Bonnie sliding her dress down

"Can I borrow a shirt?" she asks as it drops to the floor.

She smiles when she doesn't hear a reply and looks over her shoulder seeing his lips parted "Isaac?"

He blinks and shakes his head "Yeah." looking down to the floor as he walks to his dresser opening drawers until he finds a t-shirt walking over to her handing it to her.

"Thanks." she says sliding it over her head pulling back the comforter before laying down pulling it back up to cover herself, grabbing the remote from the nightstand turning the tv on.

Isaac watches her before he walks around his bed and sits down, taking his shoes off before laying down on top of the bedspread.

Bonnie looks at him "You do know this is your bed, right?" she teases

He looks at her "I didn't want to make you think I-"

"Again, I'm in your bed." a hint of a smile on her face when she sees his cheeks turn red, enjoying the look on his face when she uses telekinesis to lift him off of the bed peeling the covers back before putting him back down.

* * *

"She wants to go to the crypt?" Damon asks looking at Caroline who nods.

"She didn't get to see her last Christmas so she wants to see her this year." she answers.

"And you think this is a good idea?"

"No." shifting under his stare "I suggested she waited until her birthday but she said no, she wants Christmas. And I can't tell her no, how can you tell anyone they can't see their best friend. Especially Bonnie, it was hard enough for me to get her to move here."

He looks at her unimpressed then turns to Stefan.

"This is just as new to me as it is to you."

Caroline blinks "Oops." she mutters looking away.

"Don't beat yourself up, she knew you'd do this so she wouldn't have to." Damon says "Because unlike you, we do know how to tell her no." smiling at the look she gives him.

Caroline frowns and grabs a knife pushing it through the web of his index and middle finger.

"A little extreme." he says pulling the knife out watching his hand heal.

"This is between you and me." catching the knife when he throws it at Stefan twirling it between her fingers "Now since you think you can tell her no. Do it." pointing at his phone.

"You really do hate me." he states looking at her.

"Can you blame me?"

He studies her for a moment "You know."

"I know." she confirms.

He looks to Stefan "Big mouth."

"Stefan didn't tell me." watching him look back to her "Bonnie did. I asked her why she wasn't giving in and she spilled." she looks to Stefan "I'm not upset. Well atleast not with you." turning back to Damon "As much as I want to…" she trails off "I'm not. Not yet. For some reason Bonnie wants you in her life. Lucky for you, that's for at least another sixty, seventy years. That's more than enough time for you to make me believe that you deserve to live after what you did, after what you said to her."

"Oh please. Even if she did want me dead, you wouldn't kill me."

"And why is that?"

"Sitting right next to you."

She looks at Stefan.

He holds up his left hand "Best friend." raising his right lower than left "Boyfriend."

Damon shifts "Still."

"Childhood, Damon. Unlike you, that actually means something to her."

He leans back watching as Stefan meets his eyes, as if he was daring him to tell him otherwise. After a moment he nods his head and looks back to Caroline "Who's going?"

"Just her." she answers.

"No."

* * *

Bonnie stops at her door and takes her heels off before unlocking her door pushing it open trying her hardest not to make a sound. Peeking inside she sees the only source of light is the sun coming through the spaces between the blinds. She tiptoes around the door and pushes it closed as gently and slowly as she can cringing when it makes a sound when it meets the lock. She takes a breath and turns back around, fighting back a smile when she sees Stefan standing behind her with his arms folded across his chest. She folds her lips and walks around him going straight to her room, confused when she doesn't hear him walking after her, bracing herself before she opens the door to her room.

"Six thirty, huh?" Damon says looking at her.

She narrows her eyes "Did you both stay up all night?" walking inside dropping her heels looking back at Stefan.

"I specifically remember telling you to not have that kind of fun."

Damon looks at her watching as she rolls her eyes "I don't know, she doesn't look like it was fun."

"No." Caroline says walking into the room "She's glowing."

"Oh my God." Bonnie says turning away from them.

"Look, even her ass is-"

Stefan turns to look back at Caroline when she stops talking, seeing her eyes wide.

Damon cranes his head to sneak a glance stopping when Caroline stops talking, seeing the panic on her face as her lips keep moving but no sound is coming out.

"Does anyone else want to lose their voice?" Bonnie asks looking back and forth from Stefan and Damon waiting for them to talk "Good."

"Why didn't you do that years ago?" Damon says pointing at Caroline, groaning when he feels his hair being pulled before slamming back against the headboard.

Bonnie turns to Stefan waiting for him to say something.

"Go on," Damon says rubbing the back of his head "she'd never hurt the golden-" cringing as he stops talking feeling something clawing at his brain.

Stefan shrugs "Well it does look a little bigger." pinching his fingers together.

"Which is weird considering it was their…" Caroline gasps "unless it wasn't-" huffing when she stops talking.

Bonnie looks at her shaking her head before looking back to Stefan "Her need to talk overpowered the spell."

Damon laughs "Wow."

"Why are you all awake?"

"Waiting for you, duh." Damon answers looking at her like she was crazy

She rolls her eyes "Out." raising her hand to the door watching as they all leave, closing the door after them, locking it before flopping down on her bed.

* * *

"Well of course she isn't going to talk about it while you're here." Caroline says looking at Damon.

"Bonnie isn't the type to tell anyone when she…" he trails off "I don't want to hear about it anyway."

Damon lets out a half laugh "Please, she'll be blabbing to Caroline as soon as we leave."

"Then go." she says looking at the both of them, anxious to hear about her first time with Isaac. She doesn't know what has gotten into her friend lately but she wasn't complaining. Unlike when she was with Jeremy she actually talked to Caroline about her relationship. From their dates to the first time they made out. Eventually she came to the conclusion that maybe she held back because it was Jeremy...being her best friend's little brother and all. To be honest, Caroline was surprised they lasted as long as they did. It wasn't that she thought Jeremy was a bad guy as much as she knew that Bonnie deserved better.

Stefan turns to her and pulls her in, kissing her forehead before walking to the door opening it, walking out stopping after the threshold "Do I have to make you leave?"

"Or do I?" Caroline says looking at him, eyebrows raised.

Damon rolls his eyes before walking out leaving the door wide open clearly not happy about being kicked out.

Stefan looks back to Caroline with a smile on his face as he closes the door after him.

* * *

 _October 31, 2013_

 _Dear Elena,_

 _Happy Halloween!_

She smiles at the entry and turns the page.

 _November 1, 2013_

 _Dear Elena,_

 _Sorry if the last entry was disappointing but that's all I could write before Caroline bursted through my door demanding that I got up so we could go. One of our friends threw a Halloween party so naturally Caroline accepted for the both of us, without asking me if I even wanted to go but it was fun. There were drinks (duh), good but revolting looking food, music, all the basics. We played games, I completely destroyed Damon in Guitar Hero, remember when that first came out? For some reason, which I'm not complaining, she had a whole room that was basically like a whole throwback. I spent most of my time there, I only had two drinks. After Care's birthday, I didn't want to have any holes in my memory...you know?_

 _I was Catwoman by the way, which shocked everyone for some reason. Care was Wonder Woman. I made Matt actually have a costume, he was Batman...he claims he hated it but after seeing his little hook up, I seriously doubt it. And of course Stefan and Damon didn't dress up. If you're wondering why I haven't mentioned Isaac, unfortunately it was a full moon...Damon was happy (he still doesn't like him) but I was kind of sad, I was actually looking forward to going with him._

 _Oh, don't know how or why I haven't mentioned this yet. Not sure if Care has told you yet but we are officially back in school. I'm majoring in English, but practically all of my other classes are science related (really helping me add more spells to my grimoires). Care is majoring in Psychology, which is driving Damon crazy. She 'tries to help him solve his problems' and it always sends him home. At first she was actually trying to help him but when she found out that it makes him run, she uses it to make him leave. She was going to major in Theater or Journalism but decided to take it later. Never aging, has a downside._

 _Stefan is good, him and Care are good together. They're the happiest that I've ever seen them. The only time she isn't happy is when Damon shows up and acts like an ass but other than that they actually kind of get along...well at least in front of me. And Stefan and Damon are actually getting along to...which is weird. I was convinced Care was threatening them or it was just an act but I actually heard them laughing when I went to the boarding house._

 _Damon is doing better. He has his days, and Stefan and Caroline make it their mission to always be around me when he's in one of his moods. But other than that he's good. He finally got his best friend back._

 _Jeremy is...I don't really know, I haven't talked to him in a while._

 _Matt is doing good, he's enrolled for the spring semester next year. Until then he's taking online classes._

 _And Alaric is doing better. He's invited Damon in, so he finally got his best friend back. He still doesn't come out of the house but atleast he's talking to people again._

 _Enzo...no one really knows where he is. He shows up every now and then but other than that, he kind of falls off of the face of the earth._

 _But I had a bad thought. I don't know why and I don't want to tell you but I know I can't tell anyone else...but anyway it's just that it wasn't my life that was tied to your's. I had a dream it was Damon's. I know, I know, Matt would probably make more sense, since we both woke up in the same situation or whatever but the dream...it just felt to real. We were fighting Lily and her family and everyone survived except Damon, we went back to the boarding house and you walked right through the door and just...broke down. I'm sorry if this makes you sad or mad but I just had to get this off of my chest to someone else. And I can't tell the others, I would tell Matt but he already wants to kill Damon so can't tell him. And Isaac, I don't want him to think I'm crazy, we haven't been together long enough for me to tell him anything even close to that._

 _Love, Bon_


	12. Chapter 12

Bonnie was sitting down at her vanity apply the finishing touches to her makeup when she heard someone knocking on her door before coming in not bothering to wait for a response.

"Now what if I was naked?" she asks meeting Stefan's eyes in the mirror

"Memory wipe?" he suggests with a smile

"Is that before or after Care kills you?" she counters

"I think Damon would be the one to pull the trigger."

"Hmph. So he's done throwing his temper tantrum?"

"Ah," he says as if he had just solved the world's biggest mystery "so you're the reason he's all on edge."

She rolls her eyes "I seriously thought he'd be...I don't know, at least okay with it. He was the one that gave me the most crap for not...you know."

"I do."

She frowns "So you feel the same way?"

"Not at all, I actually prefer that you'd remain-"

"Stefan!" she shrieks covering her face

"Okay." he says holding his hands up in mock surrender "But if you ask me he-"

"I'm not." she says cutting him off "I'm not asking."

"Of course she isn't." Caroline says walking into her room "What time will you two be back from your date?" she asks looking back and forth between them

Bonnie smirks looking at Stefan

"I'm already paying." he says looking at her

She nods "But now you're paying for the food too." she looks back to Caroline "And it's not a date."

"Are you sure?" Caroline asks with a hint of a smile "Because you two go out more than we do."

"Yeah because every time you two are together you 'hang out' in your room." smiling when she sees Caroline blush glancing at Stefan "And we wouldn't even be going out tonight if you hadn't stolen my boyfriend from me." she says standing up grabbing her purse "And banned me from coming with."

"I didn't steal him from you. I asked him if I could talk to him and he said yes. And it's not that I don't want you to come it's just that I can't exactly interrogate...I mean talk" she corrects herself when Bonnie frowns at her "to him in front of you, and I'm sure you'd rather I do it than this one." pointing to Stefan "Or the other one." rolling her eyes

"Barely." Bonnie mutters, starting to push them out of her room ignoring their protests, closing the door behind her "I'll be in the living room. While you two...say your goodbyes." smirking when Caroline narrows her eyes at her

"Hey." Isaac says standing up from the couch when he sees her walk in

"Hey." she says smiling when he walks over to her. She brings her arms to rest on his shoulders linking hands behind his neck pulling him closer, standing on the tip of her toes pressing her lips to his.

"And she has the nerve to talk about us." Caroline snorts

Hearing Caroline she pulls back, feeling heat rise to her cheeks, blushing even more when she met his eyes "Perfect timing." she says

"Hands off." Stefan says, eyes locked on Isaac

"You can pick up where you left off later." Caroline whispers as she walks past them to open the door "Let's go Isaac."

Isaac looks back to Bonnie giving her a peck on the cheek "I'll see you later."

"I hope so." she says when he turns away from her "Go easy on him, please." she pleads to Caroline when he's out of the door

"Oh you know I can't promise that." Caroline says before walking out after him

Bonnie looks back to Stefan with a frown on her face

"What?"

"Hands off?"

He shrugs "No one wants to see a guy kissing their little sister...it's gross."

She scoffs at him and looks away "Wait" she says with a smile "little sister?"

He sighs and starts to walk out of the door

"Aw." she says following after him teasing him the whole trip down to the car

"Do I really take you out more than I take Caroline?" he asks opening the door for her

"We should probably stop, huh." she says when he climbs into the driver's seat

"Why does it sound like we're having an affair?" he asks with a laugh as he starts the car, pulling out onto the road

"Because we're cheating on our best friends." she answers "And since my best friend is your brother...you feel extra guilty. Care cheated on me first so she can't really be mad." she adds with a smile

"He glances at her eyebrows raised "What about Isaac?"

She looks at him "Isaac asked if we were ever together."

"And…"

"I said you were like a brother...an extremely annoying overprotective brother. Did you really corner him?"

Stefan laughs "It was three a.m. and it doesn't look like it worked since you came back even later."

She closes her eyes "You're just as bad as your brother. And for people that claim to like him you sure do like to intimidate him."

"No offense but if he's intimidated by Caroline, do you really think you should keep him around?"

"Wow," she snorts "you really are in love with her."

"Well, on the bright side you'll know if he's a keeper by the end of the night."

"Yeah." she breathes running her hands down the sides of her face "That's one way to look at."

"But then again he has two more rounds."

"Stefan."

"Kidding." he says through a laugh "But if he does last Caroline, we get to have another talk."

"Stefan, no."

"What kind of friend would I be if-"

"A good one. A **really** good friend."

"Still wish you had siblings?"

"Not even a little, that wish died the second I met you and Damon...no offense."

"None taken." he says as he parks the car, cutting the engine before getting out making his way to the passenger side opening the door waiting for her to get out

"Are you ready to get your ass handed to you?" she asks as they make their way through the parking lot

Stefan smirks "That's big talk for someone who can barely reach the pedals to their own car."

Bonnie stops walking, her jaw dropping at his remark. She laughs when he stops and turns back to her stating that she started it. Opening her mouth ready to reply to his teasing her comment dies on her lips replaced by a gasp when she feels her body being lifted off of the ground, wind blowing her hair back before finding herself in front of the door.

"What-"

"You were almost taken out by a bike rider." he answers nonchalantly pointing towards a guy groaning on the ground behind him looking like he was on the verge of passing out as Damon stood over him before leaning down

"Ouch, that looks pretty bad." Damon says looking at the blood running down his legs before reaching out towards it stopping when he hears Bonnie say his name, warning clear in her voice.

"Okay, okay." he says stepping over him leaving him in the middle of the parking lot

"Damon." she says

He huffs and makes a show of walking back over to the guy dragging him over to her leaving him at her feet.

She glances over to Stefan waiting for him to explain

"It was either he came with us or he tagged along with Caroline and Isaac."

She nods before motioning for him to turn around

"I'm fine." Stefan assures before biting into his wrist bending down bring the man's head up to meet it, wincing when he starts to drink. He pulls his wrist away when he starts to come to and compels him to get up and ride away, and forget it happened.

"Thank you." she says looking back and forth between them a smile on her face

"Why do you sound so surprised?" Damon questions walking past her opening the door waiting for to go in

"I thought you were mad."

"Why would I be mad?" looking up at Stefan who takes the hint and walks over to the front desk to pay for the race, compelling the cashier to skip the process of signing waivers and getting 'licenses'.

"Because you've been ignoring me for the past three days." she states

"I wasn't ignoring you."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really." he answers

"Then what do you call it?"

"I was giving you space. I thought you'd need some considering that you've let someone else in...in more ways than one."

Stefan bristled overhearing his brother's comment, mentally debating on whether he should step in or not, but stops when he sees Bonnie had it covered, but wondering why he couldn't hear anything afterwards.

Bonnie stood there momentarily stunned; eyes wide, mouth open, not believing what she had just heard, once she'd accepted it she wound her hand back and slapped him as hard as she could.

Damon tasted blood.

Taking advantage of his dazed state she grabbed his hand and started to chant letting go when he falls to the ground groaning in agony when he feels his blood start to boil all throughout his body.

Watching him scream and plead for her to stop she rises the intensity until his pleas turn into groans, looking on the verge of passing out as his breaths turned shallow. Only stopping when she sees blood drip down from his ears. She tucks her hair behind her ear and squats down next to him waiting until he looks in her direction "For someone that has an amazing track record of putting their foot in their mouth, you'd think that eventually you'd know when to stop." she sighs "Yet here we are." shrugging "Now, since I'm feeling nice." sitting down next to him "Here's what's going to happen." she pauses waiting for his breath to even out "I'm going to sit here and wait until you've fully healed and then I'm going to let the guard down. Then we're going to walk over to Stefan and tell him that we just had a little fight. You'll assure him that it was nothing and I'll smile and nod. I'll tell him that I whipped up a little privacy spell" she smiles "it's not that far from the truth, I mean look around, no one is paying us any mind. But it was only because I didn't want him to eavesdrop. Like he's trying to do right now." smirking at him seeing the frown on his face

"Then" she starts when she looks back to him seeing that he's sitting up staring at her in shock "we're going to race, and if you're a good boy I'll let you take us out to get something to eat afterwards...maybe grab a beer. But let's be clear that this is only because it's his birthday. Lucky for you...not so much for me, means that you have two days to make it up to me. Woo me. Make me not regret giving you a chance."

She stops and folds her lips "Last chance Damon. I'm serious, no more after this."

"Bon-"

"Don't." she says cutting him off, getting up from the floor starting to walk over to Stefan

Stefan looks up from his phone just as she reaches him and gives her a look

"What?"

He chuckles and looks over to Damon who's eyes are locked on her

"I should be asking you that." Stefan says looking back to her "I thought we were all friends but now I'm sensing tension between you two and it's not the usual kind that makes me feel like a third wheel. This is the kind that makes me not want to talk without playing out three different ways my comment can be taken."

She laughs "Cute, but there's nothing wrong."

"Really?" Stefan asks

"Mhm."

"Then why isn't Damon teasing you or crowding your personal space or making comments that have two meanings? Why is my brother looking like he's actually thinking before he speaks?"

"Oh look, Stefan made a funny." Damon deadpans

"There we go." Stefan says grinning

"We just had a little fight." Damon says

"Little?" Stefan asks "Little fights don't result in you dropping to the ground before magically appearing upright less than three seconds later, well unless you're hands around someone's throat." he states holding his stare before turning to Bonnie "Don't lie."

She lets out a breath "Two days."

"You mean if there's still something to talk about by then." Stefan says

"You're pretty and smart. So pretty. So smart." she says patting his cheek

He narrows his eyes at her "I-"

" **Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, Alex, James, Rachel, Chris and Sarah."** a voice booms from the speakers

"Looks like we're up." Bonnie says before taking off towards the track grabbing a head sock and a helmet taking the first kart

"Cheater." Stefan says as he walks past her taking the second, giving Damon a look as he walks by taking the third kart

Bonnie rolls her head around until she feels a crack smiling when she hears Stefan shout "No magic!" to which she responded "No promises." before taking off squealing when she turns the first corner.

Through the first lap, it was neck and neck between her and Chris. She'd found this out when she heard someone tell him to get her before suddenly spinning out crashing into the wall causing everyone's kart to be stopped. Looking back she saw that the culprit was Damon and shot him a look to which he shrugged claiming it was an accident. Once they were good to go she took off again whooping when she saw the distance she'd put between her and everyone else when she looked over making sure she wouldn't hit a barrier.

By the time she got to her third lap she was feeling sure enough that her spot in first place was secure. Bonnie reduced her speed so she wouldn't slam into the side before slamming on the gas pedal hearing an all too familiar laugh as the driver passes by her making sure there was enough space behind him before turning the wheel making sure he was directly in front of her. Making tight turns before veering right over and over so she couldn't pass him.

She groans in frustration seeing him pull back into the station, her kart directly behind him. She grips her wheel when she sees him get out of the kart pulling his helmet off with a smug smile on his face. Following suit she gets out and meets his smug smile with a grimace, fighting the urge to set him on fire.

"You do know it's my birthday right?" Stefan questions when he catches up to them at the cart putting his helmet down

"Well, I have only known you for your whole life." Damon replies sarcastically

"You didn't seriously think we'd just let you win?" Bonnie teases

"What?!"

Bonnie and Stefan look over to Damon before turning their attention to the screen seeing their places. Bonnie turns to Stefan, eyes narrowed.

"You still came in second." Stefan replies with a shrug

"We go by the lap times, not how you came in." a girl answers as she walks down the steps from the platform putting the flags down before walking away

Damon growls turning back to them with a scowl

"Someone's sour." Bonnie says nudging Stefan who laughs "We still have time to kill." she says glancing at her phone "So what do you want to eat?"

"Real food." she says sternly pointing at the both of them when she sees the look on Damon's face

"That is real food for us." Damon points out

"Okay, drop me off and then you two can go and eat."

Damon raises an eyebrow

"Blood bag run." she states

"Why were we even sharing a track?" Damon asks his eyes going back to the screen

"Because the three of us on a track alone is a recipe for disaster. More people on the track with us was for our own good." Stefan answers

Bonnie grabs her stomach, feeling her cheeks burning when it growls earning amused smiles from both Stefan and Damon

"Hungry?" Damon asks smirking when he sees a hint of red appearing on her cheeks

Her eyes narrow into slits as she stares at Damon "I wouldn't be if someone's girlfriend didn't pull a date swap."

Damon chuckles "It's not like he could say no. She's your best friend and he's still new. The second you fall out of the graces of your girlfriend's friend is the second that it's over."

"In some cases." Stefan mutters

Damon glances at him but that was the end of his acknowledgement of Stefan's dig.

"Are we going again?" Bonnie asks trying to change the topic

"No." Damon says immediately, "She drives like a psycho when she's hungry." he explains when he sees the look on Stefan's face

Bonnie rolls her eyes "Whatever." starting for the door

"Take out?" Stefan asks when they're in the car

"Please."

"So what happened in there?" he asks once he speeds past the red light to put distance between him and Damon

"My temper got the best of me."

"It's about time, but it was a little risky, don't you think?"

"So was feeding-"

"Not about me." he glances up at the rearview mirror "Two minutes."

"I might have boiled his blood, to the point where he could have felt like he was being burned alive. While telling him off, making sure he knew that this was his last chance at us being friends." she whispers "Sorry."

He looks at her stunned "You're sorry? For what?"

"I could have killed him."

"He would have came back."

"You don't like him very much, do you?"

"He spent most of his life destroying my happiness every chance he got, slept with my best friend before leaving her on a roof, then killed her to throw the council off of his tracks, stole my girlfriend, previously tortured my current and is apparently hell bent on using you as a punching bag." he states "Of course I don't like him. Love him? Yes, but only because he's my brother."

"So that's another thing we have in common."

He nods "Chained to people because we love them to much to walk away even though we should have done it a long time ago."

"Exactly." she says in agreement

"Why do I feel like we're talking about different people?"

"Because we are."

"You sure about that?" he asks after a beat

She turns to look at him "Why are we still here?"

"Because we know they'd be dead if we ever left."

"Over a cliff."

"Even though we're not sure if they'd do the same."

"Oh please, Damon would go nuts if he lost you."

"And you're the last family she has."

"Elena would be back to put the pieces together."

He bursts out into full blown laughter, even more so when he sees the look on her face

"Stefan?" she asks warily

"You think Elena would be able to control three vampires without you? Caroline would flip her switch and Damon would be right behind her. Matt would lose it and I…" he trails off and sighs "Who knows?"

"You'd keep it together until everyone was reeled back in and then you have my permission to go as crazy as you want. Just not on the innocent."

"Oh, that's right." he says with a smile "You want me to go all Dexter."

"I'd prefer that you didn't kill at all but if you do go back to your Ronnie Kray phase, yes."

"Noted." he says turning into a parking lot "Chinese?"

"Fine with me." she says looking out the window to see Damon parking into the spot next to them giving her a small wave

"You want to take the ride back with him?"

"Nope." she answers watching as his face falls

Stefan feels a stab of sympathy when he sees the look on Damon's face and before he knew what he was doing he was out of the car and opening the door to the passenger's side.

"I can't stay in the car?"

"It's a three minute drive back to your place." Stefan says

"Fine." grabbing her purse from the glove department

"Damon is going to start the car and drive you home, and he'll be on his best behavior," looking over to him "right?" he asks but it comes out as more of a demand

"Right." Damon says getting out of the car walking over to open the door for Bonnie smiling when she gets in. He thanks Stefan before getting in the car and driving off not missing the look he gives him.

"I'm sorry."

"For…"

"Poking fun at your…" he groans

"At my what, Damon?"

"Your relationship."

"Nope, you're a big boy."

"Your sex life." he says as if it pained him

"Because…"

"I'm the last person that should call anyone a slut."

She nods

"But I didn't call you anything out of your name." he defends

"Not directly. And for future reference; whether it's a joke or not you do not say anything like that to me ever again."

"Okay." he says, clearing his throat "You obviously haven't forgiven me."

"Two days." she says getting out of the car

He huffs and gets out of the car trailing her to the front door waiting until she opens it before backing her against the wall placing his hand on each side of her

"Damon." she warns not missing a beat

"Why is it so hard to be your friend?" he grits out through his teeth

"Because I'm not easy." she replies holding his stare "You being a dick doesn't help either."

He licks his lips nodding his head as he laughs

"I dare you." she growls, face hardening

"I thought I said to be on your best behavior."

Bonnie lets out a breath and looks to Stefan "He is." ducking under his arm starting to walk away

"Then what was that?" Stefan asks following after her

"He wants to know why it's hard to be my friend." she answers starting to walk up the stairs "Don't start." she says as she walks up the stairs

Once they got to the apartment, Bonnie went to her room dropping her purse to floor, before taking off her clothes settling on sweats and a tank top. After changing she pulled her hair into a ponytail she headed to the bathroom to remove her makeup. When she went back into the living room she saw Stefan and Damon sitting down arguing over the remote, she smiled and shook her head before going into the kitchen digging through the bags to find a container of shrimp fried rice and a fork going back into the living room flopping down on the couch starting to eat.

"You're that comfortable in your relationship?" Damon asks staring at her

Bonnie wanted to be offended, but instead she found herself fighting back a smile before covering her mouth as she started to laugh.

"He met me when I was wobbling on crutches. Seeing me in sweats is nothing compared to that." she replies

"I didn't mean the clothes. You're not fooling anyone with that push up bra by the way." smiling when she scoffs and throws a shrimp at him

Stefan smiles looking between them before returning his attention to the tv, occasionally stepping in playing the role of a referee between their banter, clearing his throat to stop his brother before he pushes his luck.

"Are you going to pull her hair next?" he teases when she gets up to get a drink

"Green really isn't your color."

Stefan smiles and starts to reply stopping when the front door opens

"Hi." Caroline beams walking through the door going over to Stefan giving him a small kiss

"Hi." Stefan says returning her smile

"Gross." Damon comments

"Damon."

"Blondie." he says mimicking her tone

"Where's Bonnie?" she asks looking around the room

"In here!" Bonnie shouts from the kitchen

Caroline turns and takes off to the kitchen

Damon smiles and holds out his hand

Stefan frowns and pulls out his wallet, taking out a hundred dollar bill stopping when he sees Isaac walk inside placing thirteen bags on the ground before turning to close the door. He turns back around to see Stefan and Damon staring at him before looking back to each other.

"Hey." Isaac says

"Hey." Stefan echoes

Damon on the other hand barked and turned back to the tv

"You'll have to excuse my brother."

"It's fine, I'd be upset too if I dug a grave as deep as he did." Isaac says smiling at the look Damon gives him

Stefan smiles "I see Caroline dragged you to the mall."

Isaac looks to the kitchen before walking over to the couch taking Bonnie's spot "I actually offered." he whispers

Stefan frowns, staring at him waiting for him to explain

"We went to this place that had food trucks and then I asked her to help me pick out something for Bon." he looks to Damon when he snorts "And we somehow ended up in every store in the mall."

Stefan chuckles "You didn't get her anything, did you?"

"No." he answers with a laugh

"You think you passed?"

"She didn't yell at me, so I think so."

"That is a good sign." Stefan says

"So what are we watching?" Isaac asks leaning back on the couch ignoring the dirty look Damon's giving him

"He did WHAT?!"

Isaac frowns looking towards the kitchen then back to Stefan who's grinning

"Somebody's in trouble."

Next thing Damon knew Caroline was leaning over him with her hand around his throat and a knife in his stomach.

"We literally just talked about this." she growls basking in his wide eyes "Do you not take me serious or do you just not give a damn?"

Damon grasps at her hands, groaning as his vision blurs.

Isaac stares at the scene before him with a mixture of shock and amusement, making a mental note of never getting on Caroline's bad side. He glances to Stefan who's watching with a grin on his face.

"Aren't you going to do something?" he whispers to Stefan

"Nope." Stefan replies leaning back "I only step in when she has a stake, Bonnie usually handles the other times."

As if on cue Bonnie runs out of the kitchen and sighs in exasperation when she sees Caroline with a death grip around Damon's neck while Stefan is just watching.

"For Christ's sake he's your brother." she says smacking Stefan "Caroline."

"No!" she snaps "I'm tired of his shit." tightening her grip around his throat

Bonnie feels her eyes widen at Caroline's comment "And I understand that, really I do, but I handled it."

"Did she really?"

Damon opens his mouth trying to respond but stops when she presses her nails against his skin "Not you."

"I saw her slap him and then she put a guard up. I didn't see what happened after that." Stefan answers

Isaac narrows his eyes "What did he say?"

Bonnie looks at him "Isaac-"

"No, he has a right to know." Caroline says stepping in

Bonnie and Stefan exchange looks before she replies

"He just mad that you're still...around."

Isaac frowns not understanding her explanation

"He thought we'd stop after we had sex." Bonnie adds looking down trying to hide her blush

"Why would he think that?"

"Because he's Damon." Caroline, Bonnie and Stefan answer at the same time

Stefan smiles at the fact that that seemed to be an acceptable answer to Isaac and wonders how much Bonnie has told him.

Caroline grabs Damon's chin forcing him to turn to her "Hurt her again and it's me and you." yanking the knife out of his stomach

"Ooh, I'm so scared." Damon mocks when she turns to walk away

Caroline stops mid step and speeds back over to him grabbing his arm twisting it behind him before lifting her leg to push him down to the ground bringing the knife down an inch away from his shoulder blade "You should be." she says in a low voice

"Caroline!" Bonnie yells

"I'm going. I'm going." she says retreating back to the kitchen after pulling the knife out, taking a deep breath, straightening out her clothes

"Put that knife with the others." Bonnie says walking over to sit by Isaac

"The others?" Isaac questions as she curls up next to him

Caroline pokes her head out of the door frame "I'm not usually like this." she says to Isaac hoping that he'll believe her but doubting it seeing how he responds.

Isaac blinks and slowly nods his head only turning away when she goes back into the kitchen

"She really isn't." Stefan assures "She's just really protective of Bonnie. I've been counting down the days until she finally snapped."

"Oh, like you're any better!" Caroline calls out from the kitchen

Stefan looks down trying to suppress a laugh "I've never stabbed him."

"Yeah, because snapping my neck is just so much better." Damon says getting up from the floor retaking his spot on the chair

"Oh my God." Bonnie mutters

"We'd never kill you." Stefan remarks with a shrug

"As long as I never hurt Bonnie." Isaac says

"Correct." Stefan confirms

Bonnie looks up at him

"Karma." Isaac says with a shrug

"So this is why-"

"Sam tried to intimidate you? Yes."

Bonnie smiles "So did they 'establish' a five feet rule yet?"

"She told you about that?"

"We bonded over that. She thinks you deserved getting cornered by Stefan."

Damon looks to Stefan who shrugs

"Of course she does." Isaac says with a smile

Caroline walks back into the room with two blood bags and two beers, handing a beer to Isaac before walking over to Damon giving him a blood bag "Here." she says giving him a sympathetic smile, moving when he reaches for the beer "We both know that's not a good idea, even if doesn't have that much alcohol." she whispers

He studies her for a moment briefly wondering if she has a split personality "Why are you being nice to me?"

"Because I know what it's like." she answers offering the blood bag to him again

He sighs and takes it mumbling thank you to which she nods and goes to sit next to Stefan handing him the other blood bag taking the bottle opener to the cap before offering it to Isaac who is taking his bottle back from Bonnie with an amused expression before raising it to his lips.

"Since when do you drink beer?" Bonnie asks looking at Caroline

She shrugs and looks to Isaac with a smile on her face before tilting it towards him as he does the same taking a drink at the same time.

Bonnie looks to Stefan who's mirroring the same expression

"You made a friend?" Stefan asks with a smirk

"If I ever catch you drinking a margarita with Care, I will hurt you." Bonnie says at the same time

Isaac laughs while Caroline says that their hanging out next week

"She's going to destroy me in Call of Duty." he says with a smile that fades away as everyone bristles except Caroline who smirks "What?"

"I know she seems harmless" Bonnie stops, remembering that Isaac saw what she did to Damon earlier "well before today she may have,"

"Hey!" Caroline scoffs

"but she's kind of…" she trails off trying to find the right word

"The devil?" Damon suggests

"You know how she shops? Well she's like that times ten." she finishes ignoring Damon

"Excuse you." Caroline says frowning at her

Isaac folds his lips and rubs the back of his neck "So I'm going to get destroyed." he states looking around the room, nodding when everyone gives him a collective yes "Good to know." he looks at Bonnie "Oh, Mike wants-"

"Who's Mike?" Damon asks while Caroline groans and rolls her eyes

"An ass, that's who." Caroline snarks "No offense." she says to Isaac who just smiles

"Mike is Isaac's roommate." Bonnie answers looking at Damon "Who is kind of a jerk."

"Yeah, he's a dick." Stefan agrees looking forward

Damon looks at Isaac as if he was waiting for a reaction

"I knew he and Bon were past the part of being nice to each other." looking at Damon "I didn't know everyone else was too."

"So past it." Bonnie mumbles

"Agreed." Caroline adds

"Has everyone met except for me?" Damon asks, frowning when everyone besides Isaac shifts and looks anywhere but in his direction "Why wasn't I included?"

"Because you were an dick to him and he didn't even do anything to you." Caroline answers

"If you had answered my texts you would have known that I was trying to invite you." Bonnie says looking at him

"And your excuse?" he asks looking to Stefan

"Not my place." he replies

"What does he want?" Bonnie asks turning to lay on her side

"He wants to take you out." smiling at her reaction

"No."

"He wants to be your friend."

"No." she repeats

"Bon." he says through a laugh

"Are you coming?"

"I have plans with Caroline."

"Can Stefan come?"

He looks at her

"Can Damon come?"

"He wants to get to know you."

"Or he wants to kill me." she says

"You're obviously the first girl to last this long." Damon states casually "If Mike is as bad as you all are making him sound, then he thinks it's time to get on your good side."

Caroline blinks then looks to Isaac who sighs and admits that Damon is right.

"I'm not sure if I should be impressed that my friend has managed to tame a man slut and have the family and friends' stamp of approval or if I want her to run because you have a friend that Damon can relate to." Caroline remarks, stating that she was serious when he starts to laugh

As soon as it turns twelve Bonnie gets up and excuses herself from everyone leading Isaac to her bedroom, smiling as he says goodnight to everyone.

After she locks the door she walks over to her vanity picking up an herb "Incendia." waiting until she sees it still burning before placing it into a bowl

"Caroline!" she screams waiting for a response, trying Stefan's name before deciding that it worked considering neither one of them busted her door down

"Bonnie?" Isaac questions warily

"Making sure it worked." she answers turning around to face him "How was your date with Caroline?" she asks watching as he takes his shoes off

"She's like a mini tornado."

Bonnie smiles at his honesty

"But it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. She was nice, the only weird thing was carrying bags that didn't belong to my girlfriend through the mall. Other than that I can't really complain about it."

"How did you end up at the mall anyway?"

"We had time to kill, I didn't think you and Stefan would be okay with coming home to finding us here alone drinking."

She smirks "Good point." laying down on her bed "I'll do a double date, but no one on one."

"So it's okay to send me out alone with your friend who has no problem going after a vampire that's way older than her but you can't go out with mine because he's a dick?" he asks as he walks over to the bed to lay down beside her, watching in silence as she climbs on top of him

"Yes." she confirms smiling when she sees yellow flecks appearing in his eyes as she lifts her shirt over her head tossing it to the side, her smile growing wider when she sees him sitting up, pulling her closer. Bonnie slowly lowers her head gently placing her lips to his. Pulling back when he doesn't respond and meets his eyes "Do you not want to-"

She's cut off when he kisses her 'Okay.' she thinks to herself taking that as the answer to her question gasping when she feels him flip her over her back hitting her bed. Taking advantage of her gasp he slips his tongue into her mouth. Mutual moans fill the room as they become more heated. Only breaking apart when he feels her tug at the end of his t-shirt pulling it off, tossing it to the side as he unhooks her bra in one swift movement. Smirking at the look she gives him, as she briefly remembers how hard it was for Jeremy to get it off. As soon as the memory crosses her mind, it goes away when she feels him start to kiss his way down her neck before latching on to her breast massaging the other in his hand squeezing her nipple smiling against her skin when he hears her moan.

"Lower." Bonnie breathes arching her back when he starts to kiss his way down to her stomach, hooking his fingers around the bands of her sweats slowly pulling them down. Smirking seeing she's not wearing underwear.

* * *

Caroline gives Isaac a smile and a wave as he's being dragged out of the room by Bonnie, thinking about how nice it was to finally see her friend with a good guy

"Jokes aside you really should tone it down with how protective you are of her." Caroline says turning back to Stefan "I don't think he likes it and we both know when it comes down to it Bonnie can defend herself."

"Says the one that stabbed me...twice." Damon says walking past them

"Is that something you guys talked about?" Stefan asks ignoring Damon

"What are you doing?" trying to avoid answering Stefan's question

"Saying goodbye to Bonnie." he answers

"Do you hear anything?" she whispers when Damon is out of sight, her eyebrows raising when he shakes his head

"Should we stop-" Stefan stops when he hears Damon hiss in pain

"She vervained the door." he says smirking at Caroline who smiles

"What happened?" Caroline asks feigning clueless when she sees Damon walk back into the living room

"I can't hear anything and the doorknob burned me." he replies

"She's probably writing to Elena." she says "My fault for always barging in."

Damon narrows his eyes at her "With her pet in there?"

"She's the only one that can see the writing." not missing a beat

"That doesn't explain why I can't hear anything." he says

"Because of what you were literally just trying to do."

Stefan smiles, he knew his brother wasn't buying it but he had to give her credit for always having an answer.

"It's nice to know that you care." Damon says walking to the door "Night Blondie. Stefan." and with that he's gone

When the door closes behind him both Caroline and Stefan turn to look at each other confusion clear on their faces.

"So he flirts shamelessly, even when Isaac is around and glares at them the whole time but is okay when he knows what's really going on in there?"

Stefan shrugs "Remember who we're talking about."

"True."


	13. Chapter 13

_November 2, 2013_

 _Dear Elena,_

 _As you know yesterday was Stefan's birthday. You're probably expecting a whole recap of it but there's not much to talk about. We barely acknowledged it to be honest. Of course we told him Happy Birthday but beyond that we treated it as a regular day. It's not that we didn't want to or anything, it's just the whole Lexi thing. Instead I convinced Care to let us ( Me and Damon ) to have him on his birthday and she could have him later. Her being her and all was not having it until we told her about the gift and then she was all on board. So we opted that she had him until four and then we got him afterwards. Well actually we were all supposed to go out but Care pulled a date swap last minute. So Damon, Stefan and I went go kart racing and she dragged Isaac off to God knows where._

 _Weird right? Well the reason that happened is because Stefan and Care are on vacation right now. Just dropped them off at the airport. First class trip to the Bahamas, courtesy of me and Damon._

 _But since we didn't celebrate yesterday we did today, as a group. We barged into his room and sung Happy Birthday to him. Made him cut a cake. Took him out to dinner and then it was off to the airport. His reaction to the whole thing was kind of adorable._

 _Damon and I are on iffy terms right now. When we went racing yesterday he made a comment about me and Isaac and I didn't hold back this time. But between today and yesterday he's been okay. I warned him that this was the last chance he had at us being friends, so he's walking on eggshells around me. No sexual innuendo, teasing is at a bare minimum. But tomorrow we are going out. It took me a while to agree but he talked me into it. We'll see how that goes._

 _Love, Bon_

"Liar. Liar. Pants on fire." Damon teases as he looks at the journal over Bonnie's shoulder.

"Damon!" she screams before placing her hand over the words until they fade away.

He frowns "Oh, so that's why all the other pages are blank."

"Go away." she says clearly annoyed.

"It's not my fault you're lying." he replies "You should know that that entry is all over the place by the way."

She glares at him.

"Just tell her the truth. It's not like she'll be mad or anything." he says with a shrug.

"I haven't written in three months. That's Stefan's birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years."

"Yes and all of those days were very hectic. Well except for Stefan's birthday but you were pretty busy, I guess."

She rolls her eyes.

"Just tell her what's going on and she'll understand why you didn't write. Don't sit there and write fake dates racking your brain trying to remember every single detail about each of those days. You'll drive yourself insane."

"But nothing is going on." she says.

"You guys broke up?"

"No."

"Then things are going on."

"Having a boyfriend is not a valid excuse for not writing."

He looks at her "Sometimes I forget you haven't had many boyfriends." smirking when she smacks him "And this is Elena we're talking about here, do you really think she'll be mad that you didn't write because your attention was on someone else?"

She opens her mouth

"Let me rephrase that." he says stopping her before she can reply "Do you really think she can be mad that you didn't write because your attention was on someone else."

"We both know she can."

"Yes but she shouldn't be." he says sitting down across from her.

"Wow, you're actually smart when your head isn't up her ass." Caroline says as she walks into the room "Morning Bonnie."

Bonnie smiles taking in her appearance of mussed hair and a t-shirt stopping just above her knees "Nice sleep?" she teases.

"Go put some clothes on." Damon says looking away from her.

"It's my house." she replies turning on the kiosk before rummaging through the cabinet for a mug.

"Is that the journal?" she asks when she sees Bonnie with a pen in her hand.

"She already spelled it." Damon says watching the excitement fade from her face.

"Did you see anything?"

"She's guilty about not writing to Elena so she's racking her brain trying to remember details from Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years."

Caroline frowns "You have a boyfriend."

Bonnie folds her lips to keep from smiling.

"They're usually a good excuse as to why you're distracted." she says with a shrug "I haven't written in mine since…" she trails off trying to remember the last time she wrote "My birthday?" she says when she remembers but noticing how it came off as a suggestion "I'll write tomorrow."

Damon smiles "See, Blondie has the concept, and here he is now." hearing footsteps approaching them "Put on a shirt." he says looking back to Bonnie when Stefan turns the corner in nothing but pajama bottoms.

"I'm sorry, is this your house?" he retorts as he takes the seat next to Bonnie.

"I'm glad I muted your room when I did." she says seeing he's in the same state as Caroline.

Stefan smirks "So have you given up yet?" pointing towards the journal.

"I'm close to." she says.

"Just give her a recap." he says with a shrug "It's not like she can be mad."

She drops the pen and covers her face with her hands.

"You okay?"

Bonnie looks up and smiles seeing Isaac looking down at her "Good morning."

"Good morning." he says giving her a peck on the cheek, greeting everyone before looking back to Bonnie.

"I'll walk you out." she says getting down from the stool taking his hand leading him towards the door.

"I didn't know Damon was here." he says when she closes the door after them.

"Yeah, he scared the crap out of me this morning."

"How's the journal?"

"I'm trying to remember the past three months."

"You mean the times that we weren't-"

"Yes," she says cutting him off, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks "and that's the problem."

"Blame it on finals." he suggests "It's not entirely true but it'll explain why there's no November entries. December...Care was on a mission to make it a perfect Christmas, again not the whole truth but I'm sure it'll give you a pass. January, we did go to the mountains so you can do a brief recap on that."

Bonnie smiles "Thank you." looking up at him wrapping her arms around his waist.

He shrugs "Just doing my job." leaning down to give her a kiss.

* * *

"So who is she?" Caroline asks claiming Bonnie's seat.

"Who is who?" Damon asks looking confused.

"The girl." she says as if that should clear it up.

"What girl?"

"That you're seeing."

"There is no girl. Why would you think there's a girl?"

"Because this is the first time you haven't looked like you wanted to rip his head off." Stefan states.

"And you actually said hi." Caroline adds.

"So because I said hi to Isaac-"

"Oh it's Isaac now." Caroline says clearly amused.

He rolls his eyes "I know how to be civil."

"Or you know Bonnie isn't taking your crap anymore and you don't want to get on her bad side." she counters.

"Or maybe it's because I don't want to be a dick to her or him on her birthday...well day before her birthday—whatever."

"You were a dick to me on mine." Stefan says.

"And a complete asshole on mine."

He looks at Stefan "You're my brother, you don't get off of the hook just because it's your birthday." then turns to Caroline "Didn't I humiliate myself on stage with you?"

"Oh please that was for Bonnie." she replies raising the mug to her lips.

"Not everything I do is for" he stops when Caroline and Stefan look at each other and start to laugh "What?"

"You hate cooking but Caroline had to run you out of the kitchen with a knife on Thanksgiving."

"And you helped me decorate for Christmas." Caroline adds "Elena had to nag you to go Christmas tree shopping with her. But as soon as Bonnie decides to go get a tree you were the first one to volunteer."

He rolls his eyes remembering being called Katniss until Bonnie put an end to it last week. Only getting the reference when he finally read The Hunger Games series Caroline bought him for Christmas out of boredom. Smiling at the memory of shooting her in the leg with an arrow. That coincidentally was a tag along gift from Stefan. Feeling a shiver run down his spine at the memory of the aneurysm Bonnie gave him afterwards.

"And most of all, you never fight back anymore." Caroline says "Don't get me wrong, I love kicking your ass but it's not as much fun when you don't even try."

"That's not for Bonnie."

"Then who is it for?"

"Stefan." he says as if he was obvious.

She turns to Stefan who shrugs in response.

"Someone looks happy." Caroline says watching Bonnie walk through the door, who admits that she is as she lifts her hand sending her journal flying towards her as she strolls past them going out on to the balcony.

"I don't like it when she goes out there."

"I think she's safe. She probably spelled the door shut anyway."

"Why would she spell it shut?" Damon asks looking at them.

"Because that's where she goes when she has something to tell Elena." Caroline answers getting off of the stool going back to her room to get dressed so she can be ready to leave when Bonnie is done with her entry.

"Where are they going?"

"Shopping." Stefan answers "Bonnie needs something to wear for tomorrow and for Valentine's Day."

Damon gives him a look between amusement and one that's questioning where his dignity went to answer beyond telling him shopping.

"So I wouldn't want to come." he says "Still wondering why she thinks I'd want to, though." he adds starting to drink from Caroline's mug.

"So how are you going to keep busy without your bestie and your girlfriend?"

"Figure out how I'm going to top Isaac's plan for Valentine Day."

"Which would be…"

He listens for Bonnie hearing scribbling before a page turning "He rented out the ice rink."

Damon frowns "What the hell does he do?"

He shrugs "Never asked."

"Does she know?"

"Probably."

"How old is he anyway?"

Stefan tilts his head "Twenty something?"

"So are we getting to see her tomorrow?"

"He rented out Blew Moon for her surprise party." Caroline answers walking back into the room "And he's twenty two."

"I thought we were having it at the house." he blinks "What kind of twenty two year old can afford to rent out two places in the span of nine days?"

Caroline shakes her head "We decided it would be better to have it at the club. We may spend most of our time here but he didn't want to risk her going over and seeing the house decorated, since she shows up there whenever she feels like it."

"And he didn't think you'd be okay with him being at the house without asking you first. He knows that you still don't like him." she adds when he's still staring at her.

"Oh," she says "his mom does real estate, his dad is an investor and Isaac started investing in stocks when he turned eighteen."

He twists his mouth "You told him that?" he pauses "Eighteen?"

Stefan frowns wondering how they were managing to have two conversations at once without it turning into an argument.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out you don't like him." she responds with a frown "You did nothing but bark at him for a whole month." she says when he opens his mouth to respond "Yet you talked to Mike like it was nothing."

"Mike isn't pretending that he likes me." remembering how their first conversation ended up with a cue stick in his stomach and Mike choking on the wolfsbane in his drink by the end of the night.

"You really expect Isaac to talk back to you in front of Bonnie knowing how much you mean to her...for some reason I'm still trying to figure out."

"You act like he just takes your crap when she isn't around." Stefan says when Caroline finishes.

Damon nods remembering how he does only keep quiet around Bonnie.

"Who's taking her out tomorrow?" Caroline asks "I'm helping Isaac finish up."

"Why don't we let Damon do it?" Stefan suggests "It's been awhile since they've just hung out."

"You trust him to keep her busy on her birthday without pissing her off?"

"I have to pick up her gift."

"Oh, that's right." she says.

"So you expect her to think nothing is up when you two aren't around on her birthday?" Damon asks.

"I have a test with Professor Witchburn." Caroline says "She's the one professor there that's on vervain. At least that's what Bonnie thinks." she adds in a whisper.

"I have some business to tend to out of town." Stefan says.

"You told her about that?" Damon asks with a frown.

"Miami." he responds.

"And the boyfriend?"

"His mom's birthday."

"Well that's convenient." Damon says clearly annoyed.

Caroline and Stefan exchange looks silently debating if they should tell him it's a lie before deciding against it and turn back to Damon.

"We're all singing her Happy Birthday at twelve so she won't feel like we completely abandoned her on her birthday and then" Caroline pauses trying to chose her words "Isaac is going to leave after they have to part ways."

"So you can show up later and make her a birthday breakfast and keep her company." Stefan suggests as soon as he notices the look in his brother's eyes.

"Until you 'spontaneously' decide that you two should go out instead of staying in for her birthday." Caroline adds.

Damon nods "Just how long have you all been planning this?"

Caroline opens her mouth to respond but stops when she hears the door sliding open "You ready to go Bon?" she asks when she gets back inside.

"One minute." she says holding up one finger as she walks past them.

"We'll talk later, okay?" she says getting down from the chair slinging her bag over her shoulder giving Stefan a quick kiss as she follows after Bonnie who gives them a wave as she walks out of the door.

Stefan eyes his brother as he watches the smile fade from his face when Bonnie leaves.

"How is Sarah by the way?"

"As good as a 'girlfriend' can be I guess."

"Does Bon know?"

"Considering that she bumped into her on her way out, I think so." he answers "She didn't tell you?"

"She mentioned seeing you with a blonde but beyond that, no. Are you bringing her?"

"If I don't she'll think I'm hiding her."

"Well you don't exactly take her out." he points out.

"I didn't think it'd be appropriate."

Stefan snorts.

"I'm sorry." he apologizes through a laugh when Damon glares at him.

* * *

The car ride to the mall consists of Bonnie and Caroline catching up. Despite living together they hadn't really talked much aside from when they were both with Stefan or talking each other down from standing over Damon with a stake. The normality of it made Bonnie feel strange, since they hadn't talked like this since freshman year.

"What's wrong?" Caroline asks noticing her sudden mood change.

"When was the last time we did this?"

Caroline frowns trying to remember "High School...like early High School." she answers "Oh Bonnie, don't tell me you feel guilty."

Bonnie sighs "I wish I could." she says "I really hate to ask this but, do things seem easier to you now?"

Caroline lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding "Oh, I'm not the only one." she breathes trying to get her voice back "Like you don't have to look over your shoulder? You can do whatever you want? I mean when was the last time we could just pack up and go somewhere without worrying about something bad happening?" she rambles, momentarily scared that she'd overshared but smiles when Bonnie agrees with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"My birthday is tomorrow and I'm actually happy instead of surprised that I made another year."

"We're awful people." Caroline states with a sad smile.

"Friends...not people." she corrects.

She frowns "You're kidding right?"

Bonnie looks at her.

"We'd literally be dead without you. Feeling carefree for the first time in years doesn't make you a bad friend especially considering what you've done and given up for us."

Bonnie starts to respond but stops when she feels her heart start to race when Caroline slams on the brakes.

"NICE BLINKER ASSHOLE!" she yells hitting her horn three times.

When Bonnie feels her heartbeat go back to normal she bursts out into laughter even harder when Caroline looks at her warily asking if she was okay.

"Bonnie?" concern clear in her voice.

She opens her mouth to tell her that's she's fine but ends up laughing harder, gasping for air.

"How did you go from being all nice to snapping because someone didn't turn on their blinker?" she asks when she calms down "And since when do you have road rage?"

Caroline grins and shrugs as she turns into the parking garage "Are you ready?" she asks as they make their way to the automatic doors.

"We're here for a shirt-"

"Like hell you're getting a shirt." she says interrupting her.

"It's my birthday, I should be able to wear whatever I want. Besides everyone is busy anyway."

"Yeah, but we're celebrating the next day."

Bonnie frowns "We are?"

Caroline rolls her eyes and grabs Bonnie's hand starting to drag her into the first store on her list.

Three hours later Bonnie finds her arms draped in bags from the crook of her elbows to her wrists, struggling to hold on to her two boxes containing a new pair of black stilettos and a pair of MK ankle boots.

"Can I go to the car?" she asks slightly out of breath.

Caroline stops walking and turns to her "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm going to have to go back to the car and get you...again."

"Well excuse me for not having vampire strength or stamina." she says sarcastically.

"You're excused."

"Caroline." she whines "We've been here for hours, and you haven't..." she trails off "are you distracting me?"

Caroline frowns "Distracting you from what? You know we're going out on the sixth."

"Oh, that's right." she says "I forgot." remembering the conversation they had hours ago as she starts to walk up to her "Where are we going anyway?"

Caroline throws her head back seeing her friend struggle "Fine." rolling her eyes as she seemingly brightens up and starts to go back to the garage "And we're going out." she repeats.

As soon as they exit the mall Bonnie uses her telekinesis to lessen the weight of her bags smiling at the looks on people's faces at the sight of boxes floating around her, and a bubbly blonde carrying what looks to be three times her weight without breaking a sweat.

"We should do this more." Bonnie says when Caroline starts to back out after putting their bags in the back seat, being as there was no more room in the trunk.

"You'd willingly go shopping with me?" she asks.

"It's not that I don't like shopping with you it's just that I don't like going when we actually need to shop."

"Whatever." she mumbles acting as if she were offended.

"I mean actually hang out." Bonnie clarifies.

"You want Sunday Fun Days?"

"Not if you're going to call it that." cringing as she remembers how much it used to drive her and Elena insane.

"So the house is men free on Sundays now?"

"If you can handle that." she teases.

"Oh, you're one to talk." she counters "So what was Isaac's solution?" she asks her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Write on my birthday so she can't be mad."

Caroline smiles.

"Blame November on finals, December on trying to make it a happy Christmas for everyone and January on the ski trip."

"Smart. And to think you almost didn't call him." laughing when Bonnie glares at her.

* * *

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute." Stefan says before hanging up the phone.

"They're back?" Matt asks incredulously.

"They've been gone for hours." Damon says as if that should've made a difference.

"Oh" he says looking at him "I forget you haven't had the pleasure of taking Care to the mall." he snarks taking shot glasses from the cupboard setting them down on the island.

"Don't let them kill each other." Stefan says to Isaac before going out the door leaving it cracked open.

"You sure she won't mind me being here?" Mike asks walking into the kitchen "Because she made it pretty clear that she hates me."

"You pretended your brakes weren't working when you were driving in the rain on the freeway, what did you expect?" Matt asks looking at him.

"You did what?" Isaac says turning back to face them.

"I wanted to see how strong she was." he frowns "She didn't tell you?"

"No."

Mike smiles taking a few steps back when he sees the look on his face "Hey Bon." he says looking up to see her walk into the kitchen flinching when she looks at him before turning to Matt.

"Matt?" she says with a smile "What are you doing here?" pulling him into a hug.

"It's your birthday." he says hugging her back.

"You stopped your vacation just for my birthday?" she asks when he pulls back.

"Of course."

"I can't imagine Rebekah being too happy about that."

"She's not." Rebekah responds dryly before smiling at her "I would hug you but we're not there yet."

"Rebekah?"

"Hello Caroline." she says dismissively as she breezes past her.

"I thought you guys buried the hatchet." Bonnie says frowning at their exchange.

"It'll be a cold day in hell before" she stops "Wait a minute, how the hell did she get in here?"

Bonnie shifts and looks away.

"Bonnie."

"It's my birthday, you can't be mad." she says.

"It's not your birthday for another thirty minutes."

"Rebekah came by when you and Stefan were on vacation, she needed-"

"Did you buy out the whole mall?" Damon asks cutting her off seeing the living room floor littered with bags and boxes.

Rebekah smirks taking it all in "I see your taste in clothing has gotten better." holding up a top "I assume that's your doing." glancing to Isaac "I'm picking out your outfit for your birthday, just so you know." she says putting it back in the bag "Caroline can do your makeup."

"My birthday." Bonnie says stopping Caroline from commenting, staring her down until she gives in.

Bonnie walks over to Isaac giving him a peck on the lips before leaving to start to take her bags to her room ignoring Mike's attempts at conversation the entire time.

"You're going to ignore me?"

Bonnie walks past him smiling when Isaac takes the bags from her hand telling her to go sit down and relax. To her dismay Mike follows after her insisting that they talk.

"How old are you?" Bonnie growls.

"Twenty four." he answers, eyebrows knitting together.

"Then act like it." she snaps finally losing her patience.

"The tiny witch is probably hot in bed." she hears a voice say.

Turning around with all the apprehension in the world she groans when she sees them "Why?"

"He insisted on coming to thank you." Rebekah says appearing next to her "Since you disappeared before he woke up."

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asks after Rebekah finishes.

"No." she answers immediately.

Mike smirks "Does Isaac know an ex is here?"

"He's not my ex." Bonnie replies.

"She wishes." Kol says at the same time leaning against the door frame.

Bonnie rolls her eyes seeing the smirk on his face.

"Then why am I drowning in sexual tension?" Mike teases.

"Do you have a death wish?" Rebekah asks.

"Do you?" he counters.

Rebekah smiles and holds out her wrist "Bite me." she challenges "Go on then." she coaxes lifting it closer to his mouth when he doesn't move.

Mike frowns then looks to Bonnie who shakes her head.

"I'm not just any vampire." Rebekah says starting to lower her arm when it's clear he's not going to do anything "And even by the tiny chance that you do even get close enough to take a bite," dragging her finger along his jaw "which is very doubtful considering that I could rip you to shreds before you can even get those fangs to come out," hovering her finger over his lips "I wouldn't die." she smiles sensing that he's a hybrid "Do they know?" she questions seeing the answer in his eyes.

Bonnie smirks at the fear in his eyes but starts to feel bad "Okay, that's enough Rebekah." she says with a smile "You okay?" she asks her guilt getting the best of her placing a hand on his shoulder holding his gaze until he nods "Are you going to pass out or something?" she asks feeling him tense up before she removes her hand.

"And here I thought you didn't care." he says, back to his usual arrogance.

"You're seriously not going to invite me in?" Kol asks when she starts to walk away.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like you." walking away smiling at his scoff and Rebekah's laugh.

"You brought Kol back?" Caroline shrieks.

"He's the only one that had information on the dagger that can take Klaus down." momentarily disabling Mike and Isaac's hearing.

"Wait, those are the Originals?" Mike asks joining everyone in the kitchen hearing them say Kol's name.

"You really aren't that bright are you?" Rebekah asks in a tone between curiosity, disappointment and pity feeling a small twinge when she hears laughter.

"Matt, your the most level headed out of all of us at the moment" she stops and shoots a look at both Caroline and Damon when they snort.

"He's sleeping with an Original." Damon says.

"Like you haven't." she counters smiling when he huffs and looks away avoiding the looks of Stefan and Matt "Do you think Kol can be trusted?" rolling her eyes when he says that he's hurt that she doesn't trust him.

"He's toned down." he answers with a shrug "And he doesn't have a reason to attack anyone."

"Thank you Matt." he says from the doorway.

"That actually sounded genuine." Caroline says, eyebrows knitted together.

"Well you can send him back to his grave if he slips up." Rebekah points out "And he isn't as strong as he used to be." smiling at the memory of breaking his arm before running away with the dagger.

"Don't push it sister." he warns.

"You let Rebekah in." Caroline says staring at the blonde who returns her glare with a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Come in." Bonnie says, unfazed when he appears in front of her with a grin on his face.

"So does this mean I'm invited to the outing?"

She frowns.

"Rebekah told me about it. I don't have any plans that day, and I hear there's no one that's available tomorrow." waving off Damon, Rebekah and Mike's protests "I thought we should call a truce."

"I am the only one that knows how to make the dagger." he says when she doesn't respond.

Bonnie narrows her eyes and steps to the side to look for Isaac "Do you mind?" she asks, balling her hand into a fist so Kol can't look back at him smiling when he growls in response.

"Can Rebekah come along?" he asks, it's not that he doesn't trust Bonnie as more as he doesn't trust the Original around Bonnie alone, figuring Bonnie was satisfied with his response when she smiles at him.

"Of course." Rebekah says when Bonnie turns to her "Bonnie and I need to catch up anyway, and it never hurts to have someone to carry our bags." she says with a smile.

Bonnie unclenches her fists letting Kol regain control of his body.

"Someone's gotten stronger." he says watching her.

"I brought you back to life and you're barely figuring that out?" stepping around him before he can respond going to wrap her arms around Isaac.

"Alright, drink of your choice." Caroline says seeing eleven fifty nine on the clock on the oven walking to the counter to bring the cake to the Island starting to place the candles on using her vampire speed to light the candles "Sing Happy Birthday and then shots."

Bonnie smiles and leans back into Isaac when she feels him wrap his arms around her as Caroline and Matt start to sing. Her eyebrows raising when she sees that everyone is actually singing even Stefan and Kol. Once they're done Bonnie leans forward and blows out the candles taking her shot on the count of three along with everyone else.

The mini celebration stops about two hours later, consisting of; drinking, eating cake, playing a 'mature game' of truth or dare. The most memorable being Mike daring Damon to say who was better in bed between Elena and Rebekah. Of course he claimed it to be Elena, but Bonnie sensed otherwise. Mike's fairly tipsy date asking Rebekah who was the best between Matt, Damon and Stefan. She ordered it in best to worst being; Matt, Stefan then Damon. Bonnie raised her eyebrows sensing that it was the truth, surprised considering everything Elena had told her about Stefan and even Rebekah at one point. Mike asking Bonnie why there was tension between her and Kol. Who answered that a small part of her felt guilty about dancing and flirting with him at the Ball then trying to kill him afterwards. Which came as a shock to everyone, not remembering her being present at all. Kol admitting that he liked to hold that guilt over her head. Bonnie retaliating in daring Mike to leave. To which he declined and had to take three penalty shots.

Afterwards turning into a game of Never Have I Ever revealing that Bonnie wasn't as innocent as they were all led on to believe. The only person not shocked being Caroline, who was present for the shotgunning, body shots, streaking and the tattoo, that only she, Caroline, Jeremy and Isaac had been aware of until the game. She sighed internally knowing she would never live this night down, seeing nearly everyone except Matt and Caroline were seeing her differently. But everyone agreeing that it was nice to know that she wasn't always so 'uptight'. She was surprised when Isaac hadn't moved from her side, pulling her closer and sneaking kisses when he thought no one was looking.

Mike and his date were the first to leave, followed by Rebekah, Kol and Matt who told her they'd be back later to pick her up, Damon saying that he'd see her tomorrow leaving her Isaac, Stefan and Caroline alone to clean up.

"I hate you." Bonnie says glancing at Caroline and Stefan being the culprits behind most of her reveals.

"I can't believe you shotgunned." Stefan says still not over it "And a tattoo."

"But not about the body shots?" Caroline asks.

He shrugs "Who hasn't?"

She frowns at him but realizes she can't be mad remembering she had done it too "True."

"I'm more surprised by the Kol thing." Caroline says looking at her before remembering Isaac, opening her mouth ready to apologize but stops when he smiles in response.

"You knew?" she asks.

"I knew."

"I'd rather he hear everything from me than from anyone else." Bonnie says.

"So that's all that happened between you two?" Caroline asks.

"No, we kissed, but that's it."

"And you didn't tell me?" she stops when she sees the look Bonnie gives her and she turns to Isaac again ready to apologize but stops when he tells her it's fine, she's not the only one that has history with an Original.

Both Caroline and Stefan look at him.

"We never went anything past a kiss, I didn't know she was an Original back then and I didn't want to kill her." he says with a shrug.

"Well at least you two are honest with each other." she says with a smile knowing that that's already better than her best friend's last relationship feeling bad as soon as the thought entered her mind.

"Why don't you two go to bed?" Caroline says "It's your birthday." she says cutting Bonnie off "I already feel bad that I can't be here with you and you have to spend it with the Originals." scowling.

Isaac smiles and thanks her before saying goodnight to both her and Stefan after they tell Bonnie 'Happy Birthday' again before she leaves.

Once back in her room Bonnie turns to Isaac ready to answer any questions he had but stops when he assures her that he's fine, and can't hold her past against her. Especially since she's fine with the skeletons in his closet.

She smiles and cups his face in her hands before leaning up to kiss him moaning when he starts to deepen the kiss, resting his hands on the small of her back groaning when he feels his back hit the wall.

Bonnie isn't sure how it happened but the next time she came to her senses she found herself on her back on her bed with Isaac's head inbetween her legs as her back arched feeling herself clench around his fingers a loud moan escaping her mouth.

As Bonnie feels her body tense her grip on Isaac's hair tightens as she tries to pull him up but frowns when he doesn't budge instead feeling him lap up every drop before pulling back meeting her gaze. Her eyes falling to his lips watching him wipe off her juices before kissing his way up her body stopping to flick his tongue over each nipple before taking it into his mouth as his thumb sweeps across her clit. Starting again to stop at her neck sucking at her pulse point, smiling when she pulls his head up to hers and flips them over. Resting her hands on his shoulders as she slowly slides herself down before rolling her hips. Laughing when she feels herself land on her back before gasping as he starts to push himself into her at a slow pace before gradually speeding up, hissing as her nails dig into his back.

* * *

"Who did she shotgun?" Stefan asks his curiosity getting the best of him.

Caroline smirks "You sure you want to know?"

Stefan hesitates hearing the light tease in her voice "Do I?"

She shrugs.

"It's someone I know?"

She nods.

"Matt?"

"Nope."

He frowns "Tyler?"

She shakes her head.

"A girl?" eyebrows shooting up when she nods.

"You?" he asks wearily, a sigh of relief escaping when she says no.

Caroline laughs when realization washes over his face.

"Really?"

"Mhm."

"I wonder what Damon would say."

"Don't." she says "She'd kill me for even telling you. I'm serious." she adds when she sees him fighting back a smile.

After they're done cleaning they head back to Caroline's room, frowns settling on their faces hearing the sound of a something hitting the wall repeatedly, Caroline tries to fight back a smile once it clicks her hand clamping over her mouth when she sees Stefan flash to her room groaning after hearing the sounds coming from Bonnie's room. She has to pinch her nose to keep from laughing at his reaction, part of her wishing Isaac could see just so his concerns over Stefan would be put to rest.


	14. Chapter 14

"I'm coming!" Bonnie screams as she slips on a shirt, starting towards her door but stops and lifts her hand

"I knew it was only a matter of time before I heard you say those words." Kol says as he walks inside her room enjoying the view as she bends over to grab a pair of flats

She rolls her eyes as she slips on her shoes grabbing her purse before walking past him

"Granted, I thought they'd be under different circumstances, but I can wait." walking after her before bouncing off the barrier she puts up as she walks into the kitchen

"Happy Birthday."

She smiles when she sees Damon standing in the kitchen placing a plate down on the table pulling out a chair for her sit down

"No pancakes?"

"Rebekah threw them in the trash and told me to make waffles."

She laughs and looks up at Rebekah who's sets a mug of coffee in front of her before taking the seat next to her

"Thank you Rebekah."

She nods "Damon invited himself, I hope you don't mind."

"He can carry my bags, Kol can carry yours." Bonnie replies between bites with a shrug

"Someone's hungry." Rebekah says with a knowing smile

Bonnie blushes as memories from last night flood her mind "Aren't you going to eat?" she asks raising the mug to her lips

"She already ate." Kol states from behind the barrier

"This is why no one likes you." Rebekah replies looking at him

At first Bonnie assumed that he meant the both of them had went through all of the blood bags like Rebekah had done the last time she was here but after Rebekah went on defense Bonnie sighs and asks if she killed her, already knowing who she went after.

"No."

"Wait," Damon starts "she can feed from the neighbours, but we can't?"

Of course Bonnie wasn't okay with any of them going after anyone but she wasn't around to stop her.

"Like you haven't been doing it behind my back?" Bonnie retorts getting up to put her plate in the sink "Where are we going?" she asks following after Rebekah

"To find you a decent outfit for tonight." she answers

"Tonight?"

"Yes, we're going out. You didn't seriously think I was going to let you sit at home for your birthday, did you?"

"No, but I didn't think you'd give me a warning." Bonnie says remembering how she barged into her room demanding that she got up so they could go to a bar "I'm surprised you actually let me pick out my own clothes."

"Like I said, your taste in clothing has gotten better. I wish I could say the same about your company." glancing back at Damon

"Says the one that's shacking up with the quarterback." Damon retorts

Kol smirks seeing Damon pressed up against the wall, his sister always quick on the uptake

"Says the one that can and will rip out your tongue the next time you insult him."

Bonnie frowns seeing Rebekah flash behind her "Not on my birthday." she states when she sees Damon against the wall with Rebekah's hand around his throat

After squeezing his throat Rebekah reluctantly takes a step back

"Since when do you listen to the witch?" Kol asks when she releases Damon

"I actually happen to like Bonnie." she admits, and it was the truth. When she showed up at her door asking her to help her bring Kol back she expected Bonnie to tell her to go to hell and slam the door in her face. And after getting what she wanted from her she expected her to kick her out but instead she asked her if she needed a place to stay and they actually started talking. Shocked that they actually had things in common besides their hatred for Klaus.

"Or you know she's the only one of Matt's friends that will actually tolerate you." Damon says breaking her out of her thoughts

"You're one to talk." Kol says looking at Damon "You just admitted that you weren't drinking from the veins because Bonnie doesn't want you to."

"This coming from the guy that-"

"ENOUGH!" Bonnie screams looking at all of them

Rebekah raises an eyebrow at Bonnie's outburst

"All of you shut up or I'm going home." she had only been outside for a minute just a few steps away from her door and here they were, already driving her insane.

Usually Rebekah wouldn't care about that threat but she didn't want to have to spend the day with Damon and Kol, plus she actually wanted to spend time with Bonnie before she continued her vacation with Matt. Smiling at the fact that both Damon and Kol immediately stopped, she understood why Kol had done it, he always had a thing for witches and Bonnie was no exception, but she wondered why Damon stopped. Being aware of their history, but she quickly figured things had changed since their time together when they died. That or he finally realized the reason behind his constant teasing and supposed hatred for her.

Kol smiles when she turns away from them starting for the car "Like I said, hot in bed."

"I hope you know this is the only day that'll I actually let you talk to me like this." Rebekah says when she sits down in the driver's seat wondering exactly when she grew a soft spot for the witch enough to not threaten her for her tiny outburst.

Bonnie smiles the exact same thought crossing her mind. There once was a time that Bonnie found Rebekah to be the most frightening. Unlike her brothers she didn't have a pattern, you could never pinpoint exactly when she would snap. Klaus lost it when he was betrayed, you tested his power or if you got in the way of his plans. Elijah was never one to respond with violence unless it was absolutely necessary or if you struck first. Finn, was more textbook or acted on orders. Kol; just because he could, for the thrill of it, however he was the only one that struck actual fear in Klaus. But Rebekah could snap at any moment, she was completely ruled by her emotions. Despite that Rebekah was the one she was the most willing to spend time with if she had to. It used to be Elijah but after she found out about him and Katherine, he was in the same boat as Klaus.

"I don't mean to be rude but how can you live with Caroline?" Rebekah asks breaking Bonnie out of her thoughts

"Probably the same reason you can deal with Kol." she responds

"So she's the favorite between her and the doppelganger?"

"I don't have favorites."

"So in other words, ask when Damon isn't around." Kol says with a smile

"What exactly happened between you two?" Damon asks, he wasn't buying that nothing ever went pass flirting between them

"Where is this tattoo?" Kol asks clearly trying to avoid his question but that didn't go unnoticed by Damon or Rebekah who shared a look

"It's on a place that you'll only see if you ever see her naked." Rebekah answers

"You've seen Bon Bon naked?" Damon asks with a smirk

"So it's on her-"

Kol rolls his eyes and leans back in his seat when he finds himself not being able to speak

"Is there anyway you can make that permanent?" Rebekah asks with a smile looking in the rearview mirror to see her brother "And yes, I have."

Damon raises his eyebrows "When?"

"Someone forgot a towel or a robe after they took a shower. How that happens, I don't know."

Bonnie groans and covers her face "I was really hoping that was Caroline." she mutters remembering seeing a blonde in her peripheral when she made a run for her room, too drained to do a cloaking spell not quite sure she had the hang of a transportation one.

Unlike shopping with Caroline, shopping with Rebekah was sort of freeing. The deal was she was to pick out what she thought was cute and then report back to Rebekah laying everything out on display and Rebekah would pick what she thought was appealing, if she thought none of them were good they left the store and tried again. With Caroline she was forced to try on everything they chose and then Caroline decided what was to be bought and what was to be thrown away and never be seen again. With Rebekah, Bonnie got to choose the stores, she was allowed breaks and free to go to the bathroom without being accused of trying to make a run for it and if she decided she was done then she was done, but that could have just been due to Rebekah not being there solely for herself or because it was her birthday.

Bonnie decided it was time to go home after seeing Kol and Damon in the state she was in yesterday. Unlike her she was sure it was just for show but she still found herself feeling pity for them. Besides she wanted to be able to take her time to get ready instead of having Rebekah barge into her room deciding it was time to go when she was tired of waiting.

"Not as bad as I expected." she over heard Kol say to Damon as they made their way back to the car

"We've been to four different malls in the past six hours." Damon says

"You obviously haven't had many girlfriends."

"Weren't you undaggered three minutes ago?" Damon retorts

"Still, from what I hear about girls this century and from being forced to come out with Bekah I've been through worse."

Bonnie frowns and looks to Rebekah

"I think he's trying to be a good boy." she says knowing what Bonnie was about to ask to which Bonnie rolled her eyes, the last thing she needed was another guy for Isaac to be concerned over

"What time are we leaving?"

Rebekah tilts her head "Whenever you're ready."

"What?" she asks when she sees the look on Bonnie's face

"I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to make everyday my birthday." she answers

Rebekah smiles "I'm capable of being nice."

"Matt has really mellowed you out."

"Or she takes her bossiness out elsewhere." Damon remarks from the backseat groaning when Kol twists his arm until it cracks pushing his head into the window

Bonnie closes her eyes as she sighs and grabs the bridge of her nose "Wherever you all are dragging me too-"

"No violence." they all say at the same time as if they were annoyed

"Thank you." Bonnie says leaning her head back on the head rest enjoying the silence on the drive back

When Bonnie got back she found a small part of herself expecting a surprise party on the other side, a stab of disappointment when she opened the door to be greeted by silence.

"Okay, I lied." Rebekah says as she walks through the door

"What?" Bonnie asks stopping at the door to her bedroom

"You have an hour to get ready. I want to be the first to get in, now hurry up." clapping her hands together

Bonnie smiles

"What?"

"Welcome back." she says smiling when she frowns at her

An hour later Bonnie was sitting at her vanity putting on lipstick "Nice timing." she says as she applies another coat seeing her door open

"And the same timing as your brother." she says with a small laugh seeing Damon staring back at her in her mirror

"Is it too much?" she asks seeing the look on his face thinking she may have overdone it with the black eyeshadow and dark purple lipstick

He swallows the lump in his throat and shakes his head as she stands up bringing two handfuls of hair placing them over either side of her shoulders before turning towards him so he can see her taking in her outfit; a pair of black high waist jeans, black halter top, paired with black ankle boots.

"Damon?" Bonnie says seeing his eyes go black, veins rising to the surface

"Yeah." he says once his features turn back to normal "You look nice." wondering what he did when she picks up her clutch walking past him without saying another word "What did I do?" he asks following after her, going mute when his eyes land on her butt

"Rebekah."

"Yes?" she answers looking up from her phone smiling, opening her mouth to compliment her stopping and rolling her eyes when Kol walks out of the kitchen whistling at her

"So there is a nice body under those frumpy clothes after all." he says stepping in front of her surprised when she doesn't give him an aneurysm, dirty look or insult him instead blushing under his stare

"So it's not to much?" she asks looking back and forth between him and Rebekah, letting out a breath when they both say no

"Why would it be too much?" Rebekah asks standing up glancing at Damon when she feels his eyes on her, frowning until she sees that he's checking her out

"Damon just stared at me and told me I looked nice, and I'm wearing all black."

"What's wrong with black?" Kol asks giving her another once over

"It's your birthday, wear whatever you want." Rebekah states

Bonnie tilts her head opening her mouth ready to ask why they were being nice but goes against it, turning back to Damon asking if he was ready to go. When he nodded she opened the door, starting to go through her clutch making sure she had her phone, keys, compact and lipstick before walking out.

"Did you vamp out?" Kol asks looking at Damon who glares at him in response

"I'll take that as a yes."

"You look nice." Bonnie says taking in Rebekah's appearance of a flowy white top, black skin tight pants and knee high boots

"Before you ask, yes Matt is coming."

"Where is he anyway?" she asks, wondering why Matt was missing all day

"Making up for all the classes he's missed."

She smiles "So you compelled all of his professors?"

"All of them except Witch...something, of course the strict one is on vervain." trying to sound as if she was annoyed, figuring she succeeded when Bonnie nods "Where is Caroline?"

"She had to take Witchburn's test."

"So she's with Matt?"

Bonnie rolls her eyes "She has a boyfriend."

"Speaking of which, where is your's?"

"It's his mom's birthday."

"And Stefan?"

"Something he couldn't turn down."

"So that assasin's nonsense?"

"You know about that?"

"Of course, pretty much every vampire has done it at one point. It's easy money and you get a free meal as well. The only pesky part about it, is when you're over it you have to kill your boss and everyone you work with just to escape it." looking up from her phone putting it in her pocket "Oh don't look at me like that."

"But seriously you should dress like this more often." noticing the looks she's getting from some of the neighbours

"I have a boyfriend."

"So?"

"I don't think he-"

"Don't let her fool you, you should see how she dresses when they go out." remembering the black dress she left in the first time he saw her leave with Isaac

"Maybe you shouldn't talk." Kol advises once he sees the look Bonnie gives him before getting into the car, even going as far as ignoring him the whole ride there

"Looks like we didn't make it in time." Bonnie says seeing the parking lot nearly full and a line

Rebekah smirks looking in the rearview mirror seeing Kol's face before turning to Bonnie "Lucky for you, you have a car full of vampires."

"We're not taking no for an answer." Damon says cutting her off

Bonnie sighs even though a small part of her is glad she doesn't have to wait in line but taken back when only a couple of people of people complain before their comments are muted as they go inside.

"Surprise!"

Bonnie feels her eyes go wide taking a few steps back when she sees Caroline, Stefan, Matt, Tyler and a few friends she made at Whitmore staring back at her with smiles on their faces. Isaac stepping out of nowhere taking a picture of her reaction. She grins when he walks over to her pulling her into him telling her 'Happy Birthday Beautiful' before kissing her. Only pulling away to let everyone else greet her.

"How?" is all she can say

"We lied." Caroline says with a shrug

Bonnie smiles looking around only seeing familiar faces "You guys rented out a club for my birthday?"

"Actually that was Isaac." she responds

Bonnie frowns and turns to him

"No, none of that." he says with a smile

Bonnie rolls her eyes "You didn't have to do all of this I would've been fine with my house, or the boarding house."

"Yes, but that would've given it away."

She narrows her eyes knowing that he was right "Still."

"Seriously, what is her problem, her boyfriend rents out a club and she's complaining?"

Bonnie frowns turning her head to the voice seeing it's coming from a blonde that she doesn't know, opening her mouth ready to reply she's stopped when she sees Rebekah walk over to her

"Rebekah no!" she screams, relieved when she sees Damon flash in front of her standing between them

Rebekah huffs and turns back to Bonnie before allowing Matt to pull her away

"So that's Rebekah." Damon says turning to face her before turning to everyone else introducing them one by one starting from Tyler ending with Mike who walks up to Bonnie telling her 'Happy Birthday'.

"Thank you." she says to both Mike and his date Lisa surprised that it's the same girl from the night before

"So," she says turning back to the blonde apparently named Sarah "you're the infamous Sarah, I've been hearing so much about." ignoring the amused look from Stefan and the questioning one from Damon

Smiling at the grin that appears on her face as she turns to Damon "You've been talking about me?"

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." she says with a smile leading Isaac away from her and Damon

"That wasn't nice." she hears Isaac say once their out of earshot

"Oh my God." she says turning back to him

"What?" he asks confused

"You like him." she accuses

"I never said that." he says with a smile, initially wanting to tell her 'Let's not get carried away.' but decides against it not wanting to argue on her birthday

"You didn't deny it either." she points out as they sit down at a table with a hookah watching as everyone besides Damon sits down with them

He starts to respond but is cut off by Stefan

"You know he's going to kill you, right?" Stefan yells over the music

Bonnie lets out a tunnel of smoke "Not on my birthday."

"So you're okay with dying in six hours?" Matt asks slightly annoyed that she's even joking about it

"I've had a decent twenty two years." taking off her cap passing it to Isaac

Isaac takes a drag before passing it to Caroline who takes it while giving her the look she always does when she talks about her passing then to Stefan who's mirroring the same expression. Seeing no point in looking to Matt knowing that he's doing the same.

She sighs and apologizes, groaning when Caroline makes her go to the dancefloor stating that she owes her a dance just because of it. She looks to Isaac who just smiles before turning to talk to Mike.

Before they go on the dancefloor Caroline goes to the DJ and makes them turn up the volume before dragging Bonnie to the center so no one can hear them with the more than possible exception of Rebekah and Kol to which she didn't really care about.

"What do you want to talk about?" Bonnie asks as she starts to dance already knowing why Caroline dragged her away from everyone else

"What was that?"

"I couldn't help myself." she replies "I got everything I wanted to know about her from the handshake." she adds already knowing Caroline's next question

"What does she do?"

"Yoga Instructor."

Caroline stops and looks at Bonnie who continues to dance "If you stop I'm going back."

"A Yoga Instructor?" she says starting again laughing when Bonnie nods with a smile before stopping when Damon comes up to her

"Well that was short lived." Bonnie mutters to Caroline

Bonnie gives him a look when the song changes and turns to Caroline who looks at Damon and says "Of course." turning back to Bonnie "I'll tell Isaac, just so he knows." returning Bonnie's smile and waves her off when she thanks her.

"Sarah is okay with us dancing to this?" she asks

"Don't care." he replies pulling her closer surprised when she doesn't move away or attempt to put any distance between them

"Are you mad?" she asks meeting his eyes

"That you're jealous?"

"I'm not jealous."

"Okay." he snorts "You know damn well, I haven't said one word about her and-"

"But you should have." she says speeding up to the rhythm

"And why is that?" keeping up with her

"Because we're friends."

"Unless we're not." she says when he doesn't say anything

"Of course we're friends."

"Then why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend."

"Because I didn't think you would take it well."

"Why?" gasping when he spins her around so her butt is moving against his groin

"Oh I don't know, maybe because of a certain brunette that you call your best friend."

"Didn't she tell you to be happy?"

"Yes."

"Then why would you think I'd be mad?"

He groans when she slows down to keep up with the beat

"Unless you're not happy." she states leaning back against him before turning away to face him "Songs over." she whispers in his ear before turning away from him starting to dance with her friend Karla from her English class as they start to talk

…

Kol and Rebekah turn to look at each other with matching grins on their faces

"What?" Caroline says turning to them "What are they saying...or were saying?"

"Bonnie's kind of…"

"A really good mind fuck." Kol finishes "Excuse my language." he says glancing at everyone except Isaac who looks mildly annoyed at best being as though he missed the whole thing while talking to Mike

Isaac looks at everyone wondering why they were avoiding his eyes all talking to each other about Bonnie and Damon dancing with each other. At first he's upset that he didn't see it but figured that it was for the best that he didn't see anything based on the way Rebekah and Kol were talking about their conversation while doing so and Caroline saying that it was kind of hot with a shrug before seeing Isaac clearing her throat before excusing herself to the bathroom.

Taking that as he should go find Bonnie he gets up, nodding at Damon when he sees him walk past him with a frown on his face, not paying any attention to him.

Isaac groans in pain when he touches Bonnie seeing her turn to face him with a frown on her face before apologizing once she sees that it's him. Resting her arms on his shoulders moving as close to him as she possibly can grinding her hips against his finally being at the same level.

"So this is what it's like not dancing with a midget." moving his hands to her lower back

"Hey!" she says through a smile, hitting him before going back to her earlier movements "What's wrong?" she asks seeing the look on his face "Is this about Damon?"

He nods

"It was 'our song'." she says

"Of course he'd-"

"You have nothing to worry about." she says cutting him off moving her hands to cup his face meeting his eyes "Okay?"

"Okay."

She leans in meeting his lips with hers, moaning when he slips his tongue in her mouth.

* * *

Stefan, Matt, Tyler, Kol, Mike and Damon all groan in disgust when they see Bonnie and Isaac on the dancefloor. While Caroline and Rebekah giggle before looking away.

"What's with the groans?" Caroline asks looking at them

"No one wants to see that." Matt says pointing to them

"Oh," Caroline says "so it's okay for you to tongue down and grope whoever you're with but when Bonnie kisses Isaac it's gross?"

She rolls her eyes at the collective yes she gets from all of them "Unbelievable." she mutters looking at Rebekah and Lisa

"Well I understand why Matt, Tyler and Stefan don't want to see it being as how close they are to Bonnie. What I don't understand is why Mike, Kol and Damon are repulsed."

"That's my little brother." Mike says frowning at her

Rebekah nods, understanding his point being as she wouldn't want to see her brothers with anyone either.

Kol rolls his eyes and gets up going to the bar

"Guess that answers that." she says looking to Caroline

"Mhm." she agrees not bothering to look at Damon

* * *

"Can I have a dance with the birthday girl?"

Isaac turns to see Tyler standing next to them before turning to Bonnie who shrugs

"Sure." he says stepping away going back to the table

"What's up?" Bonnie asks

"I should be asking you that. Damon?" he says before turning away from her walking to the bar smiling when he sees that she took the bait taking the seat next to him

"Let's not." she says sitting next to him

"I saw that dance, that's not how you dance with friends. You were three seconds away from getting pregnant."

She laughs "How much of that did you hear?"

"Not much." he says with a shrug

"Liar." she says staring at him

"Two vodka sodas." Tyler says when the bartender comes up to them

"You know my drink."

"Of course I do, we've been going out since the tenth grade."

She smiles "We haven't been out since the tenth grade."

"So how are you Alex?"

She smiles remembering the name of his I.D. "I'm good, how are you Ryan?"

"I met a girl." he says smiling at her reaction

"Her name is Jasmine, she's a witch, she's majoring in-"

"How did that happen?" she asks cutting him off

"How did you and Isaac happen?"

Bonnie smiles "Touche."

"We met at a mixer."

"You got in? That's amazing." she says when he nods "Wait, you're with a sorority girl?"

"I am."

"Maybe I should've taken you up on your offer."

He shakes his head "I think staying here has been good for you."

"What makes you say that?"

"Judging by what I just saw you seem happy."

"So do you. You're eyes seem lighter."

He nods "I forgot that you're eyes were green." he says

"Yeah, I almost forgot too." she says with a half laugh but stops and thanks the bartender when he gives them their drinks "So tell me what this girl is like." she says stirring her drink with the straw

"Well, she's smart." rolling his eyes when Bonnie folds her lips "She's majoring in Agriculture."

"That is smart." she admits "Her Grimoire is probably filling up like crazy."

He smiles

"Why didn't you bring her?"

"Because I probably wouldn't have made it to the party if she came."

Bonnie laughs "Fair enough." she says "But I'd still like to meet her." taking a sip of her drink

"She wants to meet you too."

She gasps bringing her hand to her chest "You talk about me?"

"Of course, she feels like she knows you."

"I bet she wasn't to happy about that at first."

"Nope, but then she saw us when we face timed."

"Ah, so that's why you screenshotted me. Asshole." she mutters laughing when he acts offended

"How is Isaac taking in your relationship with the Salvatores?"

"He's warming up to Stefan...I think." waiting until Tyler nods "And despises Damon."

"Just like everyone else."

"He's not so bad when you get to know him."

"You say that because you were forced to."

She sighs knowing that he's right, if it wasn't for being forced to deal with him she would probably be in the 'I hate Damon club' wondering why he was here. "That definitely played a part in it but I think my hatred would've faded away because of his relationship with Elena. We started to talk more when they became official. I think the Prison World just made us-"

"deal with each other until the want to kill each other went away?" he suggests

"I was going to say made us closer or see that we could actually be friends if we just stopped going for the jugular every time we saw each other. But yeah...there's that to." joining in when he starts to laugh

"So what do you plan on doing for your birthday?"

"Staying in." he answers avoiding her eyes laughing when she catches on telling him that she could've gone without knowing that

"You should visit more often. I miss you."

"I miss you too, but if this little reunion is any proof, it shows that we don't need to be around each other all the time just to stay where we are. Look how easy it was to just fall back into how we used to一how we are."

"True." she agrees "But we should still meet up."

"Don't try to be slick, you're trying to meet Jasmine."

"What?" she asks feigning clueless

"You were perfectly fine with the phone calls and texting but now since I have a girlfriend you want to meet up."

She laughs "Okay you got me." she admits "But still."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." he says with a sigh "I was this close" holding up his index and thumb an inch apart "to getting up and driving to your house the other night and then I remembered how long that drive would actually take."

She smiles and leans her head on his shoulder "I almost texted you to meet me at the movie theater."

"That's still open?"

"It is for us."

"I'll visit in the summer and I'll come out on the fifteenth just so we can hang out."

"Sixteenth."

He frowns then it clicks "Same."

They both look at each other and bursts out into laughter

…

"Since when are they close?" Rebekah asks with a frown on her face watching Bonnie and Tyler as they sit at the bar

"Eighth grade?" Caroline answers looking at Matt

Matt nods "Eighth grade. Tyler beat this guy up that was going around saying that he got to third base with Bon. So he found him and beat him until he admitted that she never let him touch her."

"But-"

"Elena." Caroline and Matt say at the same time cutting Damon off

"You don't seem surprised." Rebekah says looking at Isaac

"Who do you think introduced us?" he asks

Caroline frowns and looks to Stefan

"Oh, did I forget to mention Tyler was there?" Stefan asks acting as if he forgot

"How-"

"He's under her emergency contacts." Stefan says cutting her off

Caroline blinks and turns to Matt who nods

"You two are…?"

"Yes." they both say at the same time

"Rebekah you can't be serious." Caroline says looking at her

"You barely started talking to her." Matt says

"We've known her since we were kids." Caroline says before looking away wondering why she was so upset but then again this was Rebekah

Damon frowns when he looks back to Bonnie and Tyler seeing Bonnie's head on his shoulder rolling his eyes when Sarah pulls him up to his feet dragging him to the dancefloor

"He hates her." Matt says watching Damon dance with Sarah

"No he hates that Bonnie is close to yet another person." Caroline corrects

"So he's not using her to make Bon jealous?" Matt asks apparently not caring that Isaac was sitting with them

"Never said that." Caroline responds "But as you can see Bonnie does not care who or what Damon is doing." motioning to her and Tyler still sitting at the bar clearly enjoying each other's company

"Why are we sitting here watching Bonnie?" Rebekah asks looking around the table "I know this is her party but that doesn't mean we should be waiting until she picks one of us to pay attention to."

Everyone exchanges glances suddenly feeling deja vu before agreeing with Rebekah starting to talk about random topics, everyone finally getting to know Isaac. Finding out he's twenty two, has one brother and one sister, he became a werewolf at sixteen due to a car accident, studying to be a Pediatric Neurologist, he liked everyone (supposedly). Visibly relaxing when they start to go after Mike.

Who unlike Isaac has no problem being honest with how he feels with them. Revealing that he doesn't really like Damon or Kol but everyone else is tolerable. The only person that he'd probably give the time of day if he didn't have to talk to them would be Matt, Stefan and Bonnie but only because he liked fighting with her. Which didn't really go over well with Isaac but they both decided that they'd deal with it later.

After seeing how he stepped in after he talked about Bonnie, he saw Caroline and Rebekah nodding approvingly while Stefan and Matt looked like they were still judging trying to make up their minds about him. He didn't really care about Kol's opinion.

When Bonnie walks back over to them, Tyler following behind she frowns seeing the look on Isaac's face then the guilty looks on Caroline and Stefan's she groans and asks them what they did. Rebekah being the only one who said that they'd just interrogated both Isaac and Mike and she only liked Isaac. Bonnie turns to Tyler who puts a hand on Isaac's shoulder telling him that he looked like he needed a drink and guided him to the bar leaving Bonnie to deal with everyone.

"Are you trying to scare him off?"

"To be honest, if they manage to scare Isaac off you shouldn't put up a fight for him."

Bonnie frowns looking at Mike

"Your friends aren't that scary. Which is saying something considering their vampires...well except one but he's dating an Original so I'm disappointed in what I'm getting from-"

Bonnie raises her hand to put up a barrier between him and Rebekah after she breaks her glass jumping over Stefan and Caroline stabbing him in the stomach daring him to say one more word. Telling him that he better be glad that Bonnie was here to save him and to watch his back because she won't be around him all the time to do so. When Tyler and Isaac return to the table Bonnie's shocked at Isaac's reaction when he just stares blankly at the scene before him before calmly sitting down causing everyone to laugh and ask him why he isn't doing anything.

"It's not the first time this has happened and he probably deserved it." he says with a shrug being all too familiar with how his mouth has gotten him into trouble "Besides, he heals fast."

Bonnie opens her mouth

"He does it all the time." Mike says cutting Bonnie off

"No I don't." he says shaking his head

"And I thought you two had issues." Caroline says looking at Stefan then to Damon who's dancing with Sarah seemingly enjoying it then to Bonnie who's smiling at the sight as if she was happy for him

"Why is Damon the only one dancing?" she asks when she turns back to everyone

"Matt doesn't want to."

"Stefan won't dance with me."

Rebekah and Caroline exchange looks then to Matt and Stefan. Caroline remembering Matt having no problem dancing with her but remembering he had two left feet. Rebekah remembering Stefan dancing with her in the twenties but remembering that he wasn't really the same person anymore, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing in a certain area.

"Come on Isaac." Caroline says standing up grabbing his hand before he can protest

Bonnie smiles watching him give her an apologetic look before disappearing into the crowd of people

"I'll dance" Kol says "but only if it's with you."

Bonnie rolls her eyes

"You didn't have a problem with it before."

"Lockwood." Rebekah says standing up "Since Matt isn't going to give in, you're going to dance with me."

"What?" he says but decides not to fight her on it knowing that she'll win in the end

Lisa following suit dragging Mike along with her. Leaving Bonnie, Stefan, Matt and Kol alone at the table. Bonnie covers her mouth trying not to smile at the look on Stefan and Matt's faces as they see Caroline and Rebekah dancing with Isaac and Tyler.

"What's so funny?" Stefan asks not taking his eyes off of Caroline

"Because you're upset that you're girlfriends are dancing with other guys because you won't dance with them."

"That's a pretty good reason to be upset." Kol says staring at her

"Speaking of girlfriends, why don't you have one?"

"Are you offering?"

"No."

"Then don't ask."

Bonnie smiles "Nice." taking a seat next to Stefan leaning her head on his shoulder

"You really should dance with her."

"I should but I don't-"

"It's my birthday."

He groans "I hate you."

"I know." she says sitting up straight moving her legs so he can walk past her

"Matty." she says looking over to Matt until he looks back at her

"One dance." he says getting up stepping over Kol

Bonnie glances over to Kol when he moves to sit by her

"I don't have a girlfriend because there's no one around here that's my type that's available."

"You only date witches?"

"Only smart ones that aren't afraid to fight back. If a woman is afraid of me, I don't go there."

"I thought you liked causing fear in people."

"Only men."

Bonnie laughs "So that's why Klaus-"

"No Klaus fears me because he knows I'm the only one that has no problem actually taking him out, and that I have connections and the knowledge to do so. He likes Bekah because...we all do, that's our little sister so of course we're going to protect her and not just be okay with who she decides to date."

Bonnie wants to point out how he seems okay with Matt but stops herself knowing if she stops him he might not start again.

"As much as she and Elijah may hate him they'd both be devastated if he ever actually did die. Why do you think they're only supporting me with the dagger? Instead of the stake?"

Bonnie nods "Understandable."

"Which part?"

"Why Elijah would ever be okay with you creating a dagger. Considering how close they are...or were. How much Rebekah hates him but loves him at the same time. And why you've never used the stake on him but why the dagger is your top priority."

He looks at her "I don't understand."

"You all hate him for the same reasons...well Rebekah and Elijah do. I don't think you've ever been out of your coffin long enough for Klaus to threaten someone that caught your attention long enough for Klaus to hold them over your head. The reason behind the hatred you all have in common is that he kept you all apart from each other.

"Do you know why Klaus never kept you all out at the same time...well together for enough time for you to actually enjoy each other's company?" she asks when he doesn't say anything

He shakes his head

"Because he knows that you all have a bond that he can never be a part of. Rebekah, Elijah and Klaus may have that 'Always and Forever' pact but you Rebekah and Elijah would never turn on each other. For any reason. You would never get in the way of each other's love lives just because you can, because you three know that if it ever came down to it you would chose each other over anyone. Klaus doesn't think you guys would...not for him. I don't know if you guys would but I know that's what he thinks...what he believes well enough for it to be the truth. He feels like the outsider because of what your mother did, how Mikael treated him but not you all...well in the same way he treated Klaus. So because he's the only half sibling he feels like no one would ever chose him."

"You know way more than you let on." Kol states after she stops talking

"You have no idea." she mumbles looking away from him, smiling when she sees everyone smiling, clearly enjoying themselves

"You know Salvatore has a thing for you, right?"

She looks over to Damon seeing that he's staring at her and Kol

"I've heard, but I don't believe it." she says

"And why is that?"

"Because if he did, he would've acted on those feelings a long time ago."

Kol laughs

"He shamelessly flirted with Elena while she was dating his **brother** and while he was seeing what's her face. Knowing first hand how impulsive he is, he would have done something by now. And he wouldn't have done what he did in Miami. So nothing you guys say or do will ever make me think he actually feels that way. And even if he did I don't."

"Because of Isaac."

"Even if I wasn't with Isaac I wouldn't go there."

"Because of Elena."

At that statement she nods

"She's not here."

"She's still my best friend."

"Wasn't she here when Barbie was with Matt?"

"Yes, but she was over Matt when they started dating."

"You're too smart for your own good." he says after a beat

"Thank you."

"If you didn't have a boyfriend this would be where I-"

"How noble of you." she says dryly

"So this is why you won't dance with me."

"Because I don't trust you?"

"Because you don't trust you." he corrects

Bonnie narrows her eyes knowing that he was trying to bait her "Nice try." she snorts looking up when she feels her hand being pulled, being dragged through the crowd of people until she's by everyone else immediately being pulled in by Isaac "Hi."

"Hi." he says with a smile

Caroline looks over to Bonnie and Isaac and smiles

"Stop staring."

She stops and turns to Stefan "They're cute, I can't help it."

"Now do you know why I don't dance?" Matt asks once Rebekah returns

"Yes." she answers honestly "But I think it's cute. Though I don't understand how you can ballroom dance but can't do whatever this is." looking around seeing everyone grinding against each other

Tyler finds himself dancing with a girl Caroline introduced him too. At first he was confused but then he figured either she didn't want him to be alone or she didn't know about his girlfriend. Turns out she had a boyfriend that couldn't make it so there they were dancing with each other but stepping apart every time they got to close.

To the dismay of Isaac Bonnie stepped away from him going to drag Kol away from their booth introducing him to her friend Karla, at first she was taken back sensing he was a vampire but after she got past it she started warming up to him but warning him if he pushed it she wouldn't hesitate to take him down. It wasn't until she felt like she was the third wheel that she left them alone together and ran back to Isaac who asked her if she thought that was a good idea to leave her alone with him knowing how much she isn't a fan of vampires. But once Bonnie turned them around so he could see her and Kol he laughed and told her that she should play matchmaker to Mike and find a girl that he could actually take home to which she shut down immediately. Not wanting to be around him any longer than she had to. It left Isaac a little conflicted, how much Bonnie and Mike seemed to not like each other but he'd rather they not be around each other than to be friends which was a first considering how they usually had the same taste.

Around four o'clock the party started to die down until it was just Bonnie, Isaac, Rebekah, Caroline, Tyler, Stefan, Damon, Matt, Mike, Kol, Sarah and Lisa. They told Bonnie to sit down handing her a scarf, after giving them questioning looks she did as she was told and gave Isaac the okay to blindfold her.

After what felt like forever she heard someone say "Okay." and the blindfold was taken off, she grinned at the sight before her

"You guys didn't have to-"

"Shut up." Caroline, Tyler and Matt say at the same time

She scowls at them before reaching out to the biggest box seeing that it was from Damon

"Damon, I swear if something pops out at me I'm kicking your-" she stops as she lifts the lid revealing a box full of Grimoires "Where-"

"After I turned Emily trusted me to give them to the first one of her descendants that I trusted. And this is the first day where you're supposed to give gifts that you haven't hated me so..." remembering being thrown across the room on Christmas

"These are-"

"Ancient looking?" he suggests with a smile "They've been passed down from generation to generation but Emily didn't think her children were ready for what's inside."

Bonnie frowns and starts to open her mouth but stops being at lost for words

"You're welcome." he says watching her as she returns his smile, rolling his eyes at the knowing smiles he gets from Stefan and Caroline

"Well I guess everyone else should just go home." Mike says breaking the silence smiling as everyone laughs

"Jesus Christ." Bonnie pants pulling the next box towards her "What's in here, a ton of bricks?" looking for a tag seeing Stefan's name she smiles "Of course." she mutters, her eyes widening when she sees what's inside

"A parting gift from Qetsiyah." he says when he sees the look on her face"It took a while to translate the language but with some help from Klaus and Elijah they helped me do it." picking up the first book "This one" taking out the second "is the original. Even though the language is...who knows what, you might be able to read it, knowing her she probably spelled it to look like that to everyone else's eyes except her bloodline. She told me there's a spell inside that would help you. I didn't know what she meant until you became the anchor."

"Why would she-"

"I think she felt bad about it."

"She didn't seem like she felt bad."

"I think she wanted you to know that coming back to our plane wasn't exactly the best for you. When we were together we talked about how the one thing she didn't like about you was your willingness to die for everyone. So she went through with it since you wanted to live. She told me inside was a spell to undo the pain that came with your...job. So of course I was going to give it to you. But when I found out you couldn't do magick, I didn't think they would be any good to give them to you considering you were upset about it. So instead Caroline and I ran around trying to find a witch to take perform the spell but none of them could read it and the ones that could refused to perform it because it's dark magick."

"What about Lucy?" Damon asks

"Lucy wasn't available, the vampire that saved her life wasn't one to test so she couldn't drop it to come help you and when she finally paid her debt you weren't here."

"What do you mean she wasn't here?" Mike asks

"The other side doesn't exist anymore so when it went down so did Bonnie." Matt answers

"So where the hell do we go?"

"Do you mind if I…" she trails off looking at Isaac waiting for him to say okay

"Rebekah!"

"Fine." she huffs, going back to her earlier thoughts about why she couldn't bring herself to snap back at Bonnie

"Salvatore's don't half ass anything, do they?" Mike asks not being able to help himself

"No, we don't." Damon says looking at him before glancing at his brother who smirks in return

Bonnie smiles and reaches for the next gift she can get her hands on seeing that it's from Mike, "You got me a gift?" she asks incredulously, taking a deep breath she opens it and starts to laugh putting the lid back on the box trying to calm down managing to call him an asshole, laughing even harder when she tries to tell everyone what's in the box before giving up and pushes the box towards Matt.

At first Matt frowns seeing what's inside not finding it funny at all but when he sees Bonnie pinching her nose, something she always did when she was trying not to snort he gives in and starts to laugh to. Glaring at Mike when he grins in response.

"What is so funny?" Caroline asks looking at Bonnie, Matt and Mike rolling her eyes when no one says anything deciding to take the box to look for herself closing her eyes when she sees it

"This is…" she trails off "I…" she lets out a deep breath and takes the box flipping it over removing it so everyone can see it.

"What's so funny about a brake ped-" Stefan stops and lets out a breath "Of course. You just couldn't help yourself."

"I don't get it." Tyler says the only one besides Lisa and Sarah left out of the loop

"Jackass here" Damon stops and turns to Isaac "No offense."

"None taken." he says ignoring the look Mike gives him

"Took Bonnie out and it started to rain, so he thought it would be funny to pretend the brakes weren't working while they were on the freeway at night in the **pouring rain**."

"Karma." Tyler says in response

"Hardly." Bonnie scoffs

"Insider." Caroline says when everyone looks at her "Open." she says handing her a small envelope smiling as Bonnie takes it watching as she opens it waiting for reaction

"How?" she breathes looking at two tickets Beyonce and Jay Z's On the Run Tour "These are sold out."

"And Caroline also came out to play."

"Oh my God. Shut up." Rebekah says losing her patience with Mike and his commentary

"I assume you're the one that's coming with me." Bonnie says

"Well if you insist." she responds

Bonnie smiles and reaches for a long narrow box stopping when she sees Kol pull it out of her reach tilting his head so she knows to follow him. She turns to Isaac silently asking if he was okay with her leaving with him smiling when he nods and starts to walk after Kol.

When she catches up to him outside he's holding the box out to her. Eyeing him down she walks up to him slowly lifting the lid off stepping back when she sees what's inside.

"If you already...why?"

"You're the only person I trust to keep it." he says

"But-"

"Bennett." he says as if it were obvious

She shakes her head "And what if I never-"

"Like I said, I trust you."

"I had a friend of mine spell it, so only a Bennett can open it. That leaves you, Lucy and your mother, I'm sorry about her by the way." he adds when she doesn't respond

"Don't." she whispers

He nods and extends the box towards her waiting for to take it

"Happy Birthday." he says kissing her on the cheek before speeding away leaving Bonnie standing outside alone

"I can't go back in there." she says turning to see Stefan walking outside towards her

"Did you see what he just did?" she asks

She frowns when he shakes his head

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because you just appeared out of thin air."

She throws her head back "I hate him."

"What did he do?"

She holds out the box "Open it."

Stefan looks down at her hands and reaches out to lift the lid frowning when it doesn't budge

"He had someone spell it so only I could open it." letting out a breath

"What's inside?" Stefan asks after the ringing in his ears stop figuring she just did a silence spell

"The dagger."

"I thought he-" Stefan stops and feels a tug at the corner of his mouth "Did he…"

"On the cheek, told me 'Happy Birthday' and then sped away."

Stefan chuckles

"This isn't funny."

"Trust me, I know."

"Katherine?"

He nods

"How am I supposed to go back in there?" she asks "How can a kiss on the cheek feel so wrong?"

"Because he gave you something he apparently only trusts you with." he answers

…

"Why can't we hear anything?" Caroline asks Rebekah as they watch Bonnie and Stefan talk

"Silence spell." she answers "My brother must have done something."

"Do you think he kissed her?"

Rebekah shrugs "I wouldn't put it past him but I think it was the gift."

"What do you think it is?"

"I don't know but whatever it is, it's sure got her worked up."

"Yeah." Caroline agrees

"What?" Rebekah asks not being able to recall one time she's ever heard a one word response from Caroline besides the time she called a bitch

"Because Stefan just texted me that he's taking her home."

"Very well then." Rebekah states "My gift can't top any of the ones she received tonight anyway." turning on her heel going back inside telling everyone that the party is over, making sure everyone was gone before telling Isaac that Kol ruined her mood and that she'll have Bonnie call him when she's over it. Making no promises that it'll be anytime soon. She felt bad for him to be honest but it wasn't her business.

* * *

 _It had been three days since her birthday and still no word from Isaac, she was starting to panic thinking he was mad at her because he found out about what happened between her and Kol. She took a deep breath and swallowed her pride and called Isaac surprised when he picked up immediately_

" _Hello?"_

" _Hey."_

" _Hey, are you okay?"_

 _She frowns "You're not mad?"_

" _Mad about what?"_

 _Bonnie sighs and closes her eyes "I thought you were avoiding me because you found out about what happened."_

" _What happened?"_

" _You know how I just bailed after me and Kol went outside."_

" _Yeah."_

" _He kissed me." Bonnie felt her heart pounding in her chest after several minutes of silence from his end of the phone_

" _Did you kiss him back?"_

" _No, he kissed me on the cheek."_

" _That's what you thought I'd be mad about?"_

" _Yes."_

 _He laughs "You didn't do anything wrong. It's not like you can control him."_

" _You sound like Caroline." she mutters_

" _Well, Caroline is right."_

" _So you're not mad?"_

" _I'm not thrilled that another guy kissed you but it's not like you wanted it to happen." he laughs when he hears her let out a sigh of relief "So are we still on for Valentine's Day?"_

 _Bonnie smiles "Of course."_

Now here she was running around her room trying to find something to wear she had asked Caroline to help her but she refused. At first Bonnie thought she was mad but then she figured she was probably worried what she picked out would give away the surprise. After ten outfit changes she settled on a red halter top dress, pairing it with her black stiletto heels going over to her vanity to do her makeup. As if it were a routine or something she heard a knock on her door when she was applying her lipstick. Thinking it was Isaac she slipped on her heels and grabbed her purse shaking her hair so the curls fell down her back. She took a deep breath before opening the door a smile on her face, turning into one of concern seeing Damon on the other side staring at her.

"Hey." she said breaking the silence

He opened his mouth but no words were coming out and Bonnie panicked

"Oh, is it too much?" she asks "I've changed like a thousand times, no one is telling me where we're going and I-"

She stopped being cut off when she felt Damon's lips press against hers his hand moving to her lower back pulling her into him. Once she got over her shock she closed her eyes feeling herself melt into the kiss, starting to kiss him back wrapping her arms around his neck, moaning when she felt him suck on her bottom lip. Whimpering when he slides his tongue into her mouth before they start to battle for dominance.

He pulls back when he feels like she needs air, then steps out of her hold realizing what he just did, not wanting to get attacked or anything he speeds away leaving her there. In hindsight he figures he probably should've just stayed and took whatever it was that she was going to throw at him but he didn't want to be there when Isaac came over.

When Bonnie opens her eyes she sees that Damon's not there for a moment she thinks she had imagined it but when she looks down she sees her clutch outside of her door and comes to the conclusion that it had happened, but ran away realizing that he had made a mistake and didn't mean it. The mere thought of it hurts her but she pushes it down and shakes her head "Why is everyone kissing me?" going back into her room closing the door behind her.

…

Tired of hearing things being thrown around her room before stopping altogether Caroline waits a couple of minutes before she gets up to go see what Bonnie had picked out.

"Okay let me see-" she stops her words freezing in her throat feeling her eyes widened when she sees Damon and Bonnie kissing, she blinks several times and clamps her hand over her mouth before she screams out, when she sees Damon start to pull back she speeds back into her room pressing herself against the wall trying to gather her thoughts seeing Stefan staring at her concern all over his face. She holds up her hand when she sees him start to say something going back to peek outside her door thinking she just imagined the whole thing. But stops when she sees Bonnie standing there in shock before shaking her head saying 'Why is everyone kissing me?' before going back into her room.

Caroline frowns "Everyone?" then remembers Kol from the other night

"Caroline." Stefan says when he sees that she's semi back...enough to explain what's going on

"Damon...Bonnie." she breathes pointing towards the door

He frowns "What about them?"

"Kissed...they just kissed." she says before smiling then feeling it go away "Isaac."

Stefan closes his eyes and bristles


	15. Chapter 15

When Damon turns the corner, he jumps back nearly dropping the glass of bourbon from his hand when the door flies open, every ounce of common sense in his mind screaming for him to run but he's frozen in fear only to sigh in relief when Stefan walks through the door meeting his face with a frown clearly wondering what was wrong before laughing at him.

"Expecting someone?" Stefan teases when he stops

"No."

"So you're avoiding someone?"

"She told you?"

"Told me what?"

"You're not good at playing dumb." Damon says taking a drink

"Oh, that. No Caroline told me that. Bonnie hasn't told anyone."

"Caroline saw it." Stefan says when Damon gives him a blank stare

"How is she?"

"In denial." 'Kind of like someone else.' Stefan thinks to himself "She's pretending it never happened."

"That's what you wanted, right?" he asks when his brother remains quiet

Damon frowns

 _Damon was lying down on the couch reading a book, just about to turn the page when the front door flew open. Immediately thinking someone was here to get him he jumped up and flashed towards the door stopping when he sees Bonnie walking through the threshold. He smiles and relaxes_

" _Judgey." he greets before turning his back to her ready to reclaim his spot_

" _Judgey?" she screams_

 _At that he stops mid step and turns back to face her_

" _What the actual FUCK?" she rages walking towards him_

" _Bonnie-"_

" _Don't Bonnie me." she snaps "Are you really going to stand there and-"_

" _I don't know what you're talking about." he lies_

 _The frown on her face slowly fades away "You don't know what I'm talking about?" she whispers_

" _No, but feel free to fill me in." feeling a twinge when he sees her shoulders shake, bottom lip tremble as she looks away from him, the telltale of her trying not to cry, before she bites her lip and nods her head "Okay, Damon." before turning and walking back out of the door_

"I gave her a way out and she took it." he replies when he comes out of his memory

Stefan briefly wonders why he was so jumpy when Bonnie already came to visit him but remembers who he's talking to "So you kiss her, **literally** run away, avoid her for days and when she shows up you pretend you don't know why she's mad,"

Damon opens his mouth but stops when Stefan continues

"and because she leaves after you make a point of you regretting it and wishing it never happened-"

"I never said I regretted it or wish it never happened."

"Well what was she supposed to think?"

"She was supposed to-"

"This isn't Elena, Damon." Stefan says already figuring his brother was going to pull the 'she knows how I am' card, and by going by the look on his brother's face he knows he was right "Bonnie doesn't want to fill in the blanks or guess what's wrong all of the time and she sure as hell isn't going to sit down and try to coax the words out of you just so you won't have to say them on your own."

"So she went back into the dog's arms?" Damon asks not wanting to admit he was right

"No, you sent her into Kol's."

"What?"

'So easy.' Stefan thinks with a smile "I'm kidding, but he's trying."

"Didn't he-"

"Yes, but he didn't avoid her. Especially since she broke up with-"

Stefan grins when Damon appears right in front of him "Touchy."

"Why didn't-"

"I tell you?" he asks "I thought it'd be obvious that she would tell her boyfriend about the kiss but based on past relationships I'm guessing you thought she'd keep it quiet until it kind of blows up."

Damon smirks "Someone sounds bitter."

"Or someone finally got off of the doppelganger wagon." Stefan retorts walking around Damon going towards the stairs before he points out that he is one

"What, did they kick you out?"

"Girls night. Apparently no men are allowed on Sundays now. Just a heads up."

"Then why aren't you there?" Damon quips ducking just in time before the vase hits him

"One more thing," he speeds up to Damon and punches him in the face "from Tyler." he explains when Damon comes out of his daze

Usually Damon would hit him back but decides against it seeing the look in Stefan's eyes, so instead he asks why.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you ruined her happiness. And we might have to put up with Kol. And if they actually do get together, this goes without saying...but then again I'm talking to you."

"Hmph." Damon says with a smile

"I'd advise you to keep your hands to yourself. Unlike Isaac, Kol won't go away quietly."

"And Isaac did?"

"You have Rebekah to thank for that actually."

"Rebekah?"

"After Bonnie told him what happened and broke up with him, he said he was going to kill you. Bonnie tried to calm him down but of course he didn't. So later on Rebekah cornered him and told him that if he got so much as in sniffing distance of you she'd rip his" Stefan looks down and whistles "off."

"Since when does Rebekah like me?" he asks once he gets over the threat

"She doesn't. Just like everyone else, if you ever actually die she wants it to be at her hands." he frowns "You know what I mean."

"I'm touched." Damon says sarcastically

"Just out of curiosity" he pauses waiting until Damon looks at him "what did you think was going to happen?"

"After you kissed her." he clarifies "Did you plan it, or did it just happen?"

Damon looks at him

"It's either me or Caroline." he says

"No, it's Caroline."

Damon groans turning to the door

"I want to hear it for myself." she says closing the door after her "And she said 'If he got so much as in sniffing distance of you she'd make him her bitch'." she corrects before turning to Stefan "Don't worry, Tyler's there with her." she assures, seeing the concerned look on his face, she sighs "This is the only exception." meeting his eyes so he knows she's serious, smiling when he leaves, slapping the back of Damon's head on his way out.

"Okay, speak." she says looking at Damon

"I was just going to tell her 'Happy Valentines Day' and then she opened the door...looking like that, and I just…"

"Just what?"

He shrugs

"No, you're a big boy, use your words."

"Don't patronize me."

"Don't try to take the easy way out." she counters

"You saw her."

"Barely. After you messed her up, she didn't come out of her room until the next day."

He lets out a breath

"Yeah...you screwed up her Valentines Day."

"I didn't do it on purpose."

She looks at him waiting for him to continue

"She looked amazing and I just couldn't…." he sighs "I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't go there planning on kissing her it just happened."

She tilts her head

"I don't know why I did it. And I know I shouldn't have ran away but I didn't want her to freak out on me."

She narrows her eyes, liking the fact that she doesn't even have to say anything to get him to talk.

"I can't be with her, okay?"

She raises her eyebrows at the emotion in his voice

"If I go there we can't go back. I'll destroy her. She doesn't deserve that. And she's made it clear that she doesn't feel that way about me anyway."

She rolls her eyes "One step forward, two steps back."

"Excuse me?"

"I saw that kiss. She kissed back. She broke up with her boyfriend...a good one at that over that one kiss. And then you go and avoid her, and when she comes to you, you want to act like it didn't happen and now you want to play the victim?"

"I'm not playing the victim."

"Then what do you call it?"

"Giving her what she wants."

"You think she wants to be sitting at home, wondering why her so called best friend kissed her and wants to pretend it never happened?"

"I never said-"

It takes everything in Caroline to not scream but she manages to restrain it "Then tell her that." she says calmly

"We can't happen Caroline."

Caroline blinks and takes a step back, it wasn't really his tone or what he said that caught her off guard as much as she almost forgot he actually knew her name.

Damon looks at her "What?" concern lining his voice, not wanting to give Stefan or Bonnie a valid reason to stake him.

"Nothing." she says shaking her head, giving him a once over before continuing "I just don't understand why you seem to be overlooking the fact that she broke up with him before she came to talk to you."

"I don't understand why you seem to be overlooking the fact that I will ruin her."

Caroline smiles "You know what's the best thing out of all of this?"

Damon sighs already knowing that he's not going to like whatever she's about to say

"When you were hell bent on getting Elena, that was the last thing on your mind. But with Bonnie, you're worried about tainting her."

"Your point?"

"Why?"

"She's my best friend."

"You said Elena was your best friend to." she points out

"That's different."

"Because she was with Stefan?"

He looks at her "Don't undermine our relationship like that."

"Which one?"

"How is she?" he asks avoiding her question

"She has two grown men walking around in white robes with toe separators just to get her to smile and an attractive ancient at her beck and call. How do you think she is?" referring to coming out of her room greeted by Tyler and Matt having a 'girls night', and Kol doing whatever she asks, no matter how ridiculous her request is ever since her found out about the break up.

"The better question is when are you going to swallow your pride and do what you should have done a week ago."

"I just told you why we can't happen."

She nods "And none of those reasons have involved Elena." watching as Damon looks away guilt clouding his face

"So again, I'm going to ask you when are you going to sit down and have the conversation that should've happened when she came over here. There's already someone trying to take advantage of your mistake."

"So I should be her bitch?" he asks already knowing who she's referring to

Caroline smiles "No you should be a man and stop acting like a little kid. If she's really your best friend, you won't avoid her when she needs that right now. If you don't want her in that way then tell her that, don't leave her to have to make up your half of the conversation. You of all people should know that won't help you. And it damn sure won't help her. You think you're going to destroy her...but don't you think she should have a say in the matter?" And about that whole we can't go back excuse, Elena and Stefan are proof that exes can be friends. So don't try to play that card." before he can respond she turns on her heel and leaves him to think about everything they just talked about

* * *

Two days later Damon knocks on the door to Bonnie's apartment. Usually he just walks in but under the circumstances he figures he should wait until someone opens the door. The last thing he expects to see is a shirtless Original on the other side in nothing but sweatpants. Yet that is exactly what he sees when the door opens.


	16. Chapter 16

**I thought about leaving it there but I didn't want to be evil so here's the next chapter.**

* * *

"Damon." Kol greets with a smile "What can I do for you?"

Damon frowns "Is Bonnie here?" he asks refusing to let his mind go to where it's trying to, almost sighing in relief when he sees her appear next to Kol fully dressed yelling at him about walking around shirtless.

"Damon." she says clearly taken back "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk."

"About what?" Bonnie asks, scowling when he smirks at her looking as though she's considering setting him on fire

"What I shouldn't have…" he trails off looking at Kol "Do you mind?"

Kol smirks and looks to Bonnie his face going serious

Once again Damon feels a frown settling on his face at the sight before him, consisting of them having a silent conversation before Kol rolls his eyes moving so Bonnie could walk past him. Scowling at Damon as he closes the door.

"Are you coming or are you just going to wait for Kol to come out so you can have a pissing match?" she asks watching him

Fighting back a retort, he walks after her until she steps aside waiting for him to go first letting the door close behind him.

Bonnie goes to sit on the ledge staring straight ahead not bothering to look at him, waiting for him to speak.

"If we're going to do this, you know you have to talk to me, right?"

"What is there to talk about?" she asks "Because last time I checked, you didn't know anything."

"How was I supposed to know you-"

"Because you should know me." she snaps "Did you honestly expect me to pretend it never happened? To be able to be to just be with Isaac, look him in the eye and act like everything was okay? For us" motioning to herself and Damon "to just fall back into how we were before? And to just not mention it ever again?"

He looks at her wondering if she was comparing what happened between them to what happened between him and Elena but dismisses the thought knowing Bonnie isn't that person.

"I didn't expect you to break up with him."

"Then you just answered my question." her voice barely above a whisper

"Bonnie." he says reaching out to her pulling her back down before she stands up

"What?"

"You know I didn't mean it like that." he says meeting her eyes

"So you expected me to go out with him and then tell him about the kiss and stay with him?"

He lets out a breath, this was one of the things he had a love hate thing about her, she would never let him win. In this case he was probably screwed either way he answered.

"I didn't expect you to break up with him because of something I did. I didn't just decide to kiss you, it just happened." he answers after a moment

"So you regret it?" both of them knowing it was more of a statement than a question

"I never said that."

"Then why did you run?"

"I didn't want to get an aneurysm or thrown around on Valentine's Day."

"And you decided to pretend it never happened because…"

"I didn't think you wanted it to."

She frowns "You idiot."

"Excuse me?"

"You say I'm clueless but...wow."

He frowns

"I kissed you back, I didn't pull or push you away. I didn't attack you. You and I both know I could have-"

"Forced me down onto my knees." he says

She folds her lips to keep from smiling "Not in the way you're implying but yes I definitely could have done that, but I didn't."

"So if I didn't run away-"

"We wouldn't be doing what we're doing right now."

"So I screwed up."

"You say it like it's something new." she retorts

"Ouch."

"Well is it?"

"Exactly." she says when he doesn't reply

"I know I'm going to regret asking this but, where are we?"

"I don't know." she answers

"Is this because of Elena or is this because of Kol?"

She laughs "That's your way of asking me if I'm with him?" smiling when he doesn't respond "Elena is definitely a part of it, but Kol has nothing to do with it."

For the life of him he could not understand why she was letting Elena run her

"I know I'm never going to see her again. Really, I do but I'll still feel like I'm betraying her if we...if we go there. But you will get to see her, can you honestly say that you wouldn't regret it? You spent years chasing and waiting for her and then you finally got her. And then she's gone and you start a relationship with her best friend. I know she forgives you for a lot of things but I don't think this would be one of them. And as much as I want to, I don't want you to throw that—what you have with her away for me."

"So what I want doesn't matter?" he asks once she's done

"Damon we both know how impulsive you are, I don't want you to go into this blindly. I don't want to be a regret or what stops your reunion with Elena."

He knew everything she was saying about him was true but it still hurt.

"You wouldn't be a regret." he wasn't sure if she'd be what stops him from being with Elena but he knew he would never regret being with her

"I know you're not going to like what I'm about to say but, after what happened because of that kiss I don't know if I can believe that."

"Now you're just reaching."

She smiles "Only a little." she admits "But it's still true."

"You may not like what I'm about to say but" he smirks when she glares at him "you need to stop comparing our relationship to what me and Elena had. You forget the reason I was attracted to her. It wasn't her personality that drew me to her, it was how she looked. What we have isn't based purely on physical attraction. If I said I never considered going after you or thought you weren't hot it would be a lie, I just didn't go there because you hated me, not that I don't like a challenge but you **literally** hated me. And you could start fires with your mind...one wrong move and you would've killed me."

Bonnie rolls her eyes "Now your rambling."

He looks at her "Stop comparing us to me and Elena. Just because Elena and I didn't **start** off on bad terms doesn't mean we're perfect for each other or are the better match. You don't take my bullshit and I can handle you, the real you not that little miss innocent with a halo act you put on. The independent, judgey witch that can take me down without breaking a sweat. So if you want me, take me, because we both know whatever we have or don't—won't have is up to you. Not me." smiling at her reaction before he gets up and walks away leaving her to her thoughts

Refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing her she waits until she hears the door close before turning around making sure he was gone before groaning covering her face with her hands wondering why she went through with letting him talk to her. Tempted to call Stefan she goes against it knowing he would flip on her for being up here before deciding to text Caroline to meet her and to not tell Stefan where she was. Not even three minutes later she heard someone come outside seeing a wisp of blonde hair in her peripheral she opens her mouth ready to give her a recap of what just happened but stops when she hears her speak.

"Whatever he said doesn't even matter." she says with a smirk, grinning when Bonnie looks at her

"Your blood." she says "Gross, I know but whenever someone is turned on...or...you know...their blood smells better than it usually does." laughing when Bonnie closes her eyes turning away covering her face

"I still want to hear what he said...only the last part."

Bonnie suppresses a laugh and repeats what he told her word for word looking at her when she doesn't hear a response. Smiling when she sees her blink before clearing her throat "No wonder you look like you're spent." she says with a laugh

"You're not helping."

"You're not going to like what I have to say."

"Oh God." Bonnie mutters before motioning for her to go on

To be honest talking about this while she knew Elena couldn't be upset for something that happened she was gone felt beyond weird but knowing how loyal Bonnie is she pushed it aside and decided to do it anyway.

"Stop letting Elena run you. I know you'll feel like you're betraying her but you shouldn't sacrifice your happiness for her. And if she's really your friend she won't hold it against you. As for Damon, if he's willing to sacrifice his relationship to be with you, knowing how he is you shouldn't even have to put any thought into this. Unless you don't want to be with him." she adds even though she knew that wasn't the case

Bonnie looks away

"It's time to stop sacrificing your happiness for people who honestly don't deserve it." waiting for Bonnie to look at her so she knows she wasn't just referring to Elena

"Since when do you like him?"

"I don't." she says immediately "But I'm willing to put up with him if you are, but that doesn't mean I won't hesitate to send him to Hell if he hurts you."

"Seriously, when did you get so violent?"

"Since you gave me a reason to." she answers standing up "Come on, Stefan would go ballistic if he found out I left you up here alone."

Bonnie rolls her eyes "He needs to let it go. I told him it won't happen again."

Caroline laughs "And you thought that was enough because…"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." she mumbles

"Before you even bring Elena up again, she's just like any other ex in a relationship, the only difference is she's your best friend…" she trails off not wanting to finish where she was going

"Who I'll never see again." Bonnie says

"Yeah," Caroline breathes "and if she has the nerve to be upset that you two go together I'll be the first one to slap some sense into her...hopefully not literally but I will if I have to."

* * *

 _March 10, 2014_

 _Dear Elena,_

 _It's been a while since I wrote, and I have a million reasons why. For my birthday they threw me a surprise party at this club called Blew Moon. Isaac rented it out for my birthday. Needless to say it was the best birthday I've had in a long time. Matt and Rebekah took a break of their vacation to come to my party and even Tyler came out for it. He met a girl by the way and she's pretty amazing. So after pretty much everyone left I opened presents;_

 _Damon gave me a box of Grimoires, they were Emily's. Apparently she trusted him to give them to the first of her descendants that he trusted._

 _Stefan gave me Qetsiyah's Grimoire._

 _Caroline got me...well us concert tickets to Beyonce and Jay Z's concert._

 _Rebekah and Matt gave me two first class tickets to Dubai I'm still looking forward to it but my only problem is who to bring. Originally I was going to take Isaac but...we'll talk about that later._

 _Speaking of Isaac he got me a pair of Red Bottoms but I had to give them back...again talk about that later._

 _And Kol gave me the dagger that can neutralize Klaus...I know right. Oh um, I kind of brought him back to life. Don't worry, he's not going to come after you, if he does he dies along with you. Don't ask how I did it, you won't like the answer. Let's just say to quote Caroline, 'I've come a long way from floating feathers.'_

 _Tyler picked me up a couple of days later and took me to Six Flags, the pictures from the rides are amazing. I can't wait for you to see them._

 _Mike got me a break pedal. Don't ask, you really won't like the backstory of that gift._

 _So about Isaac, though it's probably needless to say that we broke up. On the day after Valentine's Day. He didn't do anything wrong, the blame is entirely on me. Let's just say I got a kiss from someone way out of left field. And I'm still conflicted about it. I'll tell you who it was from later._

 _Oh, screw it, it was Damon. Please don't hate me._

 _-Bon_

* * *

"So are you together or not?" Caroline asks as she opens the door to Bonnie's room ignoring her scolding about not knocking

She's barely seen Bonnie for the past two weeks, and when she has she was either with Damon or on her way to meet him.

"Caroline."

"I'm not leaving until I get an answer and if you try to leave I'll just follow you." she says as she sits down on her bed

Bonnie sighs "We're talking."

Caroline rolls her eyes

"What?"

"It's like you two are going nowhere." she states

Bonnie blinks "Are you betting on us?"

Caroline looks away

"We're taking it slow...very slow." she says, slightly annoyed her love life was putting money in someone's pocket but knowing Caroline won't leave until she gets something

"So you are together?"

"Yes but no." she says "As far as going at it like you Stefan at every chance you two get...no. As far as how we talk and…" she trails off "yes."

"So you're going to let the sexual tension eat you both alive until one of you has had enough and jumps the other?"

Bonnie laughs "Sure, why not."

"Explains why he hasn't been such a dick lately." she mutters "But it doesn't explain why you're glowing." smiling when Bonnie blushes

"We're not having sex." she says when Caroline opens her mouth

"Ready when you are." Stefan says as he walks by the room

Caroline frowns watching as Bonnie gets up slipping her shoes on picking up her wallet and phone before leaving

"Hey!" Caroline says getting up walking after her

"We'll be back later." is all Bonnie says before closing the door

…

"No." Stefan says looking out of the window staring at the building to the ice rink

Ignoring him Bonnie gets out of the car and walks over to the passenger side opening the door for him to get out grinning when he glares at her as he gets out.

"I don't have a-"

"You're a vampire." she says cutting him off

"That doesn't mean people aren't going to wonder why I'm not freezing." he says as he opens the door

"Tell them you're from Greenland." she says with a shrug

"Hilarious." he says dryly

After putting on their skates they're out on the ice. Bonnie frowning when he makes it onto the ice without slipping.

"I thought you didn't know how to skate." she says as she glides next to him

"Vampire."

"So in other words, you're a big fat cheater."

"More or less." he states with a shrug

Soon their conversation shifts to them finding what the other has been up to since they last talked and then Stefan decides to address the elephant in the room.

"You and Damon?" he says after they finish catching up, smiling when she almost loses her balance

"You didn't eavesdrop?"

"I wanted to hear it for myself."

"I don't know where we are. He doesn't try anything. When we go out it doesn't feel like a date. It just feels like…" she trails off and shrugs

"Like how you two have been since you got back from the Prison World?"

"Except with more touching." he adds scrunching his nose

"We haven't even kissed."

"Lies!"

She folds her lips "We haven't kissed since then."

"So you go on dates...that don't feel like dates. I've walked into both your house and mine to see you cuddled up on the couch. He holds your hand...in public. Opens doors for you. Cooks for you. Runs errands for you. All without complaining, but you don't know what you are."

"He doesn't try anything."

Stefan grins and then turns to skate away from her, starting to go faster when she catches up next to him. Laughing when he sees her looking around the rink for him in the middle of the ice. When her eyes land on him he smiles and waves, bracing himself when she stalks over to him.

He starts to tell her she needs to take the stick up her butt out and relax around him and maybe he'll make a move on her but stops when he sees Isaac leading a red head onto the ice.

Bonnie frowns and turns to look for what caught Stefan's attention and lets out a small laugh when she sees Isaac

"Bonnie?"

"Michelle." she says "Her name is Michelle."

"You know her?"

"His best friend." she says turning to look at Stefan "At least she used to be." when he sees him lean down to kiss her


End file.
